Abdulrahman Bin Abdullah Al-Hudaif, on the death row and in prison for the last 8 years, was pardoned and released Wednesday after the family of the victim, Bandar Bin Mohammad Al-Qahtani, received SR15 million in blood money. In addition, the family of the killed Saudi also got a house worth SR4 million. The pardon came as a result of efforts exerted by King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, and a number of philanthropists for a reconciliation. Al-Hudaif said he regretted the murder and maintained that it was not intentional. He said the victim gave him a machine gun in 2000 as a guarantee for the money he borrowed from him. The victim, Al-Hudaif said, came after a while asking for the gun without returning the money, which he refused. A heated argument ensued and the killer in trying to scare the victim shot in the air. A bullet hit him in the head by mistake, Al-Hudaif said. Al-Hudaif's family started an initiative to save him. Several princes, high-ranking officials, businessmen and religious callers intervened, but all attempts failed due to the insistence of the dead man's family on the death penalty. After repeated attempts, the victim's family asked for a SR50 million settlement, which was too much for the Al-Hudaif family. Some philanthropists were able to lower the blood money to SR15 million plus the house. Prince Muhammad Bin Naif Bin Abdul Aziz, Assistant Minister of Interior for Security Affairs, played a prominent role in helping in getting the pardon.
