RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- A self-styled preacher who tortured his 5-year-old daughter to death has been sentenced to eight years in prison and 800 lashes by a Saudi Arabian court.
Fayhan al-Gamdi also must pay the girl's mother, his ex-wife, nearly $267,000 in so-called blood money, Gulf News reported Tuesday.
Saudi law allows the mother to ask for the money instead of the death penalty.
An activist with the Human Rights Commission said al-Gamdi's second wife was sentenced to 10 months in prison and 150 lashes for not reporting the torture.
Lawyers for al-Gamdi and his wife were appealing their verdicts.
Al-Gamdi was convicted of using wires and an iron rod last year to punish the child, Luma, after expressing doubts about her virginity.
Luma was in a coma for four months before she died. She was not buried for another four months because of the ensuring autopsy and investigation.
The ex-wife had legal custody of the child. The child was tortured during a visit with her father and his second wife.
