Seven people were convicted in the district court after the murder of 27-year-old Abier in Eskilstuna – now all except the husband are acquitted. The Svea Court of Appeal upholds the life sentence against Mohammed Osman but rejects both the honor motive and the involvement of the family.

The court of appeal, like the district court, confirms that it was Mohammed Osman who on September 15, 2024, strangled his wife Abier to death in her apartment in Eskilstuna. DNA evidence found under the victim’s nails, his presence in the residence, and his immediate flight from the country after the murder, according to the court of appeal, prove the case “beyond a reasonable doubt”

The sentence is upheld to life imprisonment. However, the court of appeal, unlike the district court, considers that the murder cannot be proven to be honor-related. Instead, jealousy is assessed as the main motive after Mohammed realized that Abier wanted a divorce and had met a new man. This after enduring brutal treatment from her husband for several years.

“The prosecutor has not presented any specific evidence of an honor motive,” the court of appeal reasons in its judgment.

Mother-in-law – from life sentence to acquitted

One of the most sensational turns concerns the murder victim’s mother-in-law and the husband’s mother, who in the district court was sentenced to life imprisonment for ordering the murder.

The district court found it proven that she had tried to hire a man to kill Abier in the days before the murder and in a recording said: “She has tarnished the family’s honor… If the rumor is already tarnished, then I will clear it” – followed by the words “Allahu akbar”.

The court of appeal makes a completely different assessment. The conversation is considered unclear: according to the court, it cannot be conclusively determined whether the statement pertained to murder, assault, or just threats. It is also not considered proven that she had any role in planning the actual murder or even knew about any murder plans. She is therefore completely acquitted.

Brother acquitted of murder – convicted for the escape

The brother Khalil Osman, who in the district court was sentenced to 12 years in prison for complicity in murder, is now acquitted of any involvement in the actual killing. On the contrary, the court of appeal reasons that Khalil may have tried to prevent contacts between Mohammed and Abier, including by keeping his brother in Flen and even cutting out a new man from a photo to avoid arousing jealousy in Mohammed.

However, he is still convicted of grossly harboring a criminal to three years in prison, as he destroyed evidence and helped his brother leave Sweden after the murder.

Even the brother-in-law and sister acquitted

The court of appeal also overturns the penalties for the brother-in-law and sister, who are now completely acquitted of both complicity in murder and grossly harboring a criminal.

The district court considered that they had helped financially and by removing evidence. The court of appeal, however, considers that it is not proven that they knew about the murder at the time of the actions, that these were done to protect themselves, not to protect Mohammed, and that a joint criminal plan cannot be proven.

The sister is now only convicted of false accusation, after falsely accusing her brother of death threats in custody. The penalty remains at fines that are already considered paid.

Two more acquitted

The two female acquaintances who in the district court were sentenced to prison for helping with trips and transportation are also completely acquitted. The court of appeal does not believe that they even knew Mohammed Osman, that they lacked insight into the family’s conflicts, and were exploited by the brother without understanding the context

“It is completely excluded that they would have protected Mohammed if they even had a vague suspicion of what he had done,” the court of appeal reasons

No honor killing

The district court painted a complete picture. It was established that the murder was honor-related, that the mother-in-law gave the order and that she tried to recruit an external killer in the days before the act, and that several family members and acquaintances had roles in surveillance, escape, and removal of evidence.

The court of appeal now practically rejects the entire collective structure around the murder – despite acknowledging that the family had views on how Abier lived her life.

The decisive difference lies in the assessment of evidence: according to the court of appeal, each link in the chain must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt individually. The lack of technical evidence, direct decision chains, and secure time points leads to everyone except the husband who committed the murder being acquitted.

Lied to enter Sweden

The investigation has also shown that Mohammed Osman entered Sweden on false asylum information. He claimed to be a refugee from Syria – despite actually growing up in Greece.

READ MORE: Wife wanted divorce – honor murdered by husband and family