BAIDHANIAL-AHSA: King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has pardoned a Yemeni from paying SR3.9 million for causing a train accident nearly five years ago. The accident led to the death of two persons. Ahmad Al-Hilali, who has spent the last four-and-a-half years in prison after being ordered to pay SR3.7 million for damages caused and SR200,000 in blood money for the deaths of the train driver and the driver's assistant, was driving a truck carrying sand when he crossed the railway line. According to Al-Hilali, a gear box failure caused the truck to stall and the train, traveling from Riyadh to Dammam, struck the rear of his vehicle, killing the driver and his assistant instantly. “While in prison I contacted my family in Yemen and asked them to send a telegram to the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques,” he said. “He responded immediately and ordered the General Court in Al-Ahsa to release me from prison and exempt me from paying the money.” Anwar Al-Abdul Qadir, head of Al-Ahsa Prisons, confirmed the pardon.
