In a recent UK court ruling, a Tunisian asylum-seeker, Maher Maaroufe, responsible for the brutal killing and near beheading of Indian-origin student Sabita Thanwani, will be indefinitely confined to a psychiatric hospital.
The 24-year-old Maaroufe fatally stabbed Sabita in the neck at her university accommodation in London on March 19, 2022. The judge noted Maaroufe’s aggressive and controlling behavior, describing Sabita as being in an abusive relationship.
Maaroufe, who had overstayed illegally in the UK, claimed diminished responsibility due to schizoaffective disorder during sentencing at the Old Bailey. The court heard that he attacked Sabita during a psychotic episode, fueled by excessive cannabis use. The prosecution claimed Maaroufe believed Sabita was the male devil.
Sabita’s family accused Maaroufe of a premeditated, cold-blooded murder influenced by religious extremism. They expressed disappointment with the ruling, blaming UK immigration for not acting against Maaroufe earlier, given his criminal history and illegal stay in the country. Sabita’s parents, Manoj and Rheea, reside in Dubai. The family emphasized the need for immigration processes to prevent such tragedies.
