Nasra al-Enezi Kills 57 People at Husbands Wedding
Nasra Yussef Mohammad al-Enezi before her execution in 2017
Nasra Yussef Mohammad al-Enezi, set fire to a tent where women and children were celebrating during her husbands wedding. 57 people were killed and approximately 90 others were wounded.
Who Was Nasra al-Enezi?
23 year old Nasra al-Enezi and her 36-year-old husband, Zayed Zafiri, were a prosperous pair with two children, Shaqha aged 5, and Muhammad aged 3. According to Kuwaiti law, men are permitted to have multiple wives, and in August 2009, Zayed Zafiri decided to enter into a second marriage.
Nasra was less than thrilled about this but did not have many options available to her but to let it happen. Divorce is heavily discouraged and considered shameful in in the Islamic faith which the couple adhered to.
Nasra al-Enezi Sets Fire to the Wedding Tent
The aftermath of the fire caused by Nasra Yussef Mohammad al-Enezi. Photo: NBC
In 2009, a 23-year-old woman, Nasra, was found guilty of causing a devastating fire at a wedding tent in Jahra, which resulted in the worst civilian tragedy in the history of the country.
She had poured petrol on the tent and set it alight due to jealousy and seeking revenge against her husband, who was about to take a second wife.
The fire quickly spread, and within three minutes, the entire tent was engulfed. Fifty Seven people were killed, including the mother and sister of the new bride, as well as at least seven children.
The bodies of many victims were unrecognizable due to extensive burning and had to be identified using DNA and dental records. An additional 90 people were injured.
The wedding tent was exclusively for women, while men were in a separate tent, and unlicensed tents of this nature were prevalent because women did not have to cover their heads. A witness, Nasra's maid, reported to the police that she saw Nasra pouring petrol around the tent.
Following the incident, these venues were deemed illegal due to their lack of fire safety measures and having only one exit.
The day after the incident, Nasra was apprehended and initially admitted to committing the crime. She faced charges of premeditated murder, attempted murder, and arson.
The funeral for the victims of Nasra Yussef Mohammad al-Enezi. Photo: NBC
Nasra al-Enezi is Sentenced to Death
Nasra's trial began on October 27, 2009, at the Court of First Instance.
Initially, she denied the charges and claimed that her confession was made under duress. Additionally, she alleged that a prison employee related to her husband gave her abortion pills, causing her to lose her baby.
On November 24, the defense lawyers requested that Nasra undergo psychiatric testing, claiming that she had mental health issues in her childhood.
The court also summoned Nasra's husband and maid to testify at the next hearing on December 8, 2009. During her trial, Nasra stated that she poured "cursed water" on the tent as part of a black magic ritual.
On March 30, 2010, Judge Adel al-Sager sentenced Nasra to death, a verdict that was upheld by the Appeal Court and the Court of Cassation (the highest court in Kuwait) on June 12, 2011.
This was the first instance where a female citizen of Kuwait had received a death sentence that was upheld by the country's highest court. Following this, her sentence had to be either confirmed or commuted by the Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.
Nasra al-Enezi is Hanged
Nasra Yussef Mohammad al-Enezi and two other women were moved to isolated cells at Central Prison on January 23, 2017, the morning of their execution. Security was tight with snipers positioned on nearby roofs.
A team of four doctors and six technicians arrived at the prison at 5:00 a.m. Nasra was transported by police SUV to the execution site in the staff car park.
After the death warrant was read, she was escorted up the gallows by male officers and positioned on the trap doors. At the signal, the lever was pulled and she fell through the trap.
The other two women were hanged later, one of whom was a 42-year-old Filipina who had been convicted of killing her employer's daughter, and the other an Ethiopian who had murdered the daughter of her Lebanese employer in Hawalli in 2008.
All three women were reportedly in a state of near collapse, although this has not been confirmed. Four men were hanged on the same day, including a member of the royal family who was the first to be executed in Kuwait.
The media was not allowed to witness the hangings, and there was little negative reaction in the press.
More True Crime:
Brandi Worley Kills her Two Children
The Strange Disappearance and Voicemail Left by Henry McCabe
