The Iraqi security authorities have uncovered an old murder case that occurred more than two decades ago in Iraq’s Babil Province, after they managed to arrest the main suspect, in a new development that reopened the case file which had previously been closed based on information that later turned out to be incorrect.

The details indicate that the suspect committed the killing of his brother’s wife 21 years ago, over family disputes. He later resorted to evading justice by forging a death certificate in his name in order to drop legal prosecution and permanently close the case.

According to a statement by the Babil Police, reported by Iraqi media outlets, the suspect was arrested in one of the neighborhoods of the capital, Baghdad, after it was discovered that his death documents were forged, and that he had been in hiding for many years.

The statement added that the case had been closed in 2019 after official information was received indicating the suspect’s death, based on a death certificate issued by the Fallujah Health Directorate. However, later intelligence investigations revealed the opposite and confirmed that the suspect was still alive.

The police further stated that the suspect was located in the Mahmoudiya district south of Baghdad, where he was arrested. During interrogation, he confessed to committing the murder dating back to 2005, which occurred due to family disputes between the victim and her husband, who is the suspect’s brother.

Investigations also revealed the involvement of the victim’s husband (the suspect’s brother) in forging the death certificate in order to close the criminal case and distance suspicion from his brother, allowing him to escape justice for years before the truth was uncovered again.