The brother of a Saudi man who sustained serious injuries when a sculpture fell on him and his daughter last week is suing the Jeddah Municipality for negligence.
Mazin Al-Samkari told the Board of Grievances he wants the local authority to pay his brother Ahmed SR3 million in damages.
Ahmed, in his 30s, was picnicking with his daughter Rimas along the Corniche when suddenly the sculpture fell on them.
Ahmed, who is still being treated at the military hospital in Jeddah, sustained serious injuries in the head and other parts of the body. His daughter was also hit on the head but was discharged from hospital after receiving about 10 stitches.
Mazin said the sculpture fell because of a lack of proper maintenance and not the wind, as the municipality had claimed.
He said the sculpture, carrying the number 295, was erected more than 25 years ago and was decaying due to a lack of maintenance and repair.
The brother said the municipality had refused to respond to calls from the Civil Defense.
“The municipality should also bear the medication costs of my brother and his daughter and its responsible officials should be disciplined,” he said.
Mazin was not present at the location when the accident took place. “I was at work but was informed by my family and the police which followed up the accident. The Red Crescent transferred my brother and niece to the military hospital as Ahmed works for the military,” he said.
Mazin said it was wrong to blame the accident on heavy wind. “It was reckless and shoddy maintenance,” he said.