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Lebanon 'detains suspect' in Joanna Demafelis' murder in Kuwait
[Al Jazeera] One of the two suspects in the murder of a Filipina maid in Kuwait has been placed in durance vileDrop the rod and step away witcher hands up! and detained in Leb, according to the Philippine department of foreign affairs. Nader Essam Assaf, a Lebanese national, was arrested in his home country for the death of Joanna Demafelis, Alan Cayetano, the Philippine foreign affairs secretary, said in a statement on Friday. Cayetano said President Rodrigo Duterte "welcomes the news" of the arrest and expects Kuwaiti authorities to request the extradition of Assaf to stand trial in Kuwait. "Assaf’s arrest is a critical first step in our quest for justice for Joanna, and we are thankful to our friends in Kuwait and Leb for their assistance." A second suspect remains unaccounted for. Demafelis had gone missing in September 2016, and her body was found in a freezer in an abandoned apartment in Kuwait earlier this month. She left for Kuwait in 2014 hoping to earn enough to support her family. The statement said a senior Kuwaiti security official informed the Philippine ambassador to Kuwait of the arrest. Earlier, Mousaed Al Thwaikh, Kuwait's ambassador to the Philippines, assured the Philippine government that his country would do everything it can to find the suspects. Assaf and his wife, Mona, a Syrian national, are accused of torturing and killing 29-year-old Demafelis. Mona remains wanted and is believed to be in Syria. They reportedly left Kuwait following Demafelis' death. Posted by: Fred 2018-02-24 |
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