A Pakistani gardener charged with first-degree murder has confessed to killing a Qatari woman in her home last month.

The defendant, who appeared in court for the first time on Monday, told a panel of judges through a translator that he plotted to kill the woman – the sister of his sponsor – because he wanted revenge.

The man, who is apparently in his 40s 34 years old, worked on a farm, but was occasionally sent by the victim’s brother to her house to help with gardening. According to a legal source who spoke to Doha News, the victim was in her early 60s  68 years old and lived alone in a home in Doha.

Al Raya reports that the defendant felt insulted by the victim. The legal source told Doha News that she apparently spilled food on him in anger several months ago and berated him. The victim’s brother apparently apologized for her behavior and sought to smooth over the fraying relationship with monetary compensation, the defendant said.

What happened

However, the defendant said he was still angry. He admitted in court that in early May, he waited for hours before ambushing the victim after she watered her garden before dawn.

According to the legal source, the man hit her on the head while wearing gardening gloves, dragged her into her house after she bit him, and then strangled her with an undershirt.

The prosecutor called for the maximum punishment for premeditated murder, but the potential sentence for this charge was not specified in court.

During the confession on Monday, the defendant had no legal counsel, but a public defender is expected to be appointed to him.

The case has been adjourned until Aug. 27, when the court is expected to call a forensic examiner and the police who investigated the case as witnesses.

Thoughts?

Correction: This story has been updated to include the proper age of the victim and defendant.