Ahmad Ajab Al-Zahrani
I AM not exaggerating when I say I have not slept well over the last few days. The reason behind this is the news about a Filipino driver named Rigo who killed four people around eight years ago. Every time I try to sleep, I remember this story and how Rigo threatened the passengers of a bus with a hammer before hijacking it and heading to Al-Haramain Road at full speed while driving in the opposite direction. He passed the Sari, Naif and Heraa intersections at high speed while passengers on the bus were shouting and begging him to stop. He was trying to kill himself and everyone on board. Three passengers jumped off the bus, two survived with severe injuries while one died. Rigo then decided to crash the bus into a car head-on killing the family of three in the car.
I know that such criminal cases are reviewed by 13 judges—three from the Criminal Court, five from the Appeals Court and another five from the Higher Court. I know that such cases take time before a judgment is reached. The death sentence will only be issued when the case has been reviewed properly and all evidence is taken into consideration. Rigo’s case, in my opinion, should not have dragged on all these years. After all, the crime was grave and Rigo killed four people.
Rigo’s lawyer said he is schizophrenic. I do not buy this defense for the simple reason that if he really did suffer from this medical condition, how was he able to drive the bus in the opposite direction and how did he manage to go to work that morning. How could a mentally impaired person drive a bus?
I am sure Rigo knew what he was going to do and that he thought he would die in the collision. I am certain he never thought he would survive. Rigo committed a grave crime and should be punished for it.
Saying he is schizophrenia is the same justification used by housemaids who kill children or women. If Rigo can say he killed people because of his medical condition, then why can housemaids not use the same defense?
