Eleven husbands dead Iranian woman now stands in court

Iranian – (Special Correspondent / Web desk) – An Iranian woman accused of killing 11 husbands for wealth appeared in court this week, in what is seen as one of the country’s most notorious serial murder cases, Gulf News reported Friday, citing IranWire.

Prosecutors allege that Kulthum Akbari spent 22 years killing elderly husbands by giving them lethal doses of a mix of diabetes and sexual enhancement drugs, starting in 2000.

The case drew public attention in 2023 after the death of Azizollah Babaei. His son grew suspicious and contacted investigators.

A family acquaintance later revealed that Babaei had previously been married to a woman named Kulthum, who had once tried to kill him. When Babaei’s family realised she was his current wife, they immediately alerted the authorities.

According to court records, Akbari confessed to murdering 11 husbands during interrogation. Prosecutors said she entered into marriages with elderly men and slowly poisoned them. In certain cases, she also used industrial alcohol.

As the victims were elderly and suffered from existing health conditions, their deaths were initially deemed natural, allowing the killings to continue undetected for more than two decades.

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At a hearing held on Wednesday at the Sari Revolutionary Court, the families of four victims demanded Akbari’s execution under Islamic law. More than 45 plaintiffs are currently involved in the case.

Akbari’s lawyer argued that her mental health should be assessed. However, one plaintiff rejected the claim, stating that the detailed nature of the planning indicated clear intent.

The indictment includes 11 counts of premeditated murder and one count of attempted murder.

Prosecutors alleged that Akbari was motivated by a desire to acquire her husbands’ assets and wealth.

A verdict will be issued upon the conclusion of court proceedings.