A police officer opens fire at Muhammad al-Maghrabi, 41, who was convicted of raping and murdering a three-year-old girl (Picture: Reuters/Khaled Abdullah)

A man who raped and killed a three-year-old girl has been executed with a machine gun.

Muhammad al-Maghrabi, 41, was killed as he lay on the floor following his conviction over the death of the little girl, Rana Yahya Al-Matari.

Couple who met on their balconies during lockdown planning to get married

His execution, at point blank range, was broadcast on live TV across Yemen.

He was shot dead in front of a crowd of thousands of people, including many who recorded what happened on their mobile phones, in the capital city of Sanaa.


His hands were tied behind his back as he was led from a prison van before being laid down on a rug in front of the crowds of people.

al-Maghrabi reacts as he is prepared to be executed in Sanaa, Yemen (Picture: Reuters/Khaled Abdullah)

He raped the little girl in his hut in Sana on the first day of Eid al-Fitr (Picture: EPA)

A man, believed to be a police officer, then approached him and shot him in the back as he lay on the floor.



Murder, according to Sharia law, is punishable by the death sentence, but families of the victim can request that the punishment is less severe.

al-Maghrabi admitted to raping the girl in his hut to the south of the capital city on the first day of Eid al-Fitr.

Under Sharia law, a murderer can be punished with the death sentence (Picture: Reuters/Khaled Abdullah)

People gather around a police truck carrying the body of Muhammad al-Maghrabi, 41, after he was executed for raping and murdering a three-year-old girl, in Sanaa, Yemen July 31, 2017. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

Thousands ofpoeple turned out to see him being executed (Picture: EPA)

Al-Maghrabi’s hands were bound behind his back as he emerged from the prison van (Picture: Reuters/Khaled Abdullah)