A Kuwaiti court has convicted the perpetrator behind the killing of Jullebee Ranara, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who was raped, killed and burned by the son of her employer in January.
The Juvenile Court of Kuwait sentenced 17-year-old Turki Ayed Al-Azmi to 15 years of imprisonment for the murder of Ranara, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Thursday night.
Al-Azmi, whose identity was not disclosed until the DFA named him, is also sentenced to one year of imprisonment for driving without license, DFA added.
According to the DFA, the convicted killer was given a lesser penalty for being a minor.
He also has 30 days to appeal the judgement to the Court of First Instance, it added.
"The Department of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform the public that according to the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait, the Juvenile Court in Kuwait today CONVICTED the killer (Turki Ayed Al-Azmi) of OFW Jullebee Ranara, sentencing him to 15 years imprisonment for murder and 1 year imprisonment for driving without license," DFA Usec. for Migrant Affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega said in a statement.
Ranara was a 34-year-old OFW, whose body was found burned in a desert near Al-Salmi Road on January 21, 2023.
An autopsy report conducted by Kuwait authorities stated she was pregnant at the time of her death, according to Kuwaiti media.
In an interview on Laging Handa on Friday night, de Vega said he already talked to Ranara's family, which already expressed their gratitude for the justice swiftly served to the victim.
But Ranara's family hoped for a life imprisonment for the killer, de Vega added.
"Ngayon, hinihintay nila kung anuman ang moral damages (Now, they're waiting for the moral damages)," he added, noting that the DFA has yet to receive the translated ruling of the court.
The Kuwaiti government, who vowed to give her justice, condemned Ranara's killing.
"The family of the OFW has been informed and is grateful for the assistance provided them by the government," DFA said.
"The Philippine Government is similarly appreciative of the efforts undertaken by the Kuwaiti authorities to effect a speedy resolution of the case, in the pursuit of justice for our slain kababayan (fellow)," it added.