Tikrit professor sentenced to life in prison for killing campus security officer

SALAH AL-DIN — A criminal court in Salah al-Din governorate has sentenced Tikrit University professor Omer Falah to life in prison after convicting him of intentionally killing a campus security officer in a widely publicized case earlier this year.

The court found Falah guilty of murder after he ran over officer Mustafa Amer Latif Mujahid with his vehicle on university grounds. The incident occurred after security personnel confronted the professor, who was allegedly engaged in inappropriate conduct with a student inside a tinted Nissan Navara in a secluded part of the campus.

The incident took place on Tikrit University grounds after security personnel confronted Falah, who was allegedly engaged in inappropriate conduct with a student inside a tinted Nissan Navara parked in a remote part of the campus.

“When our personnel asked the driver for identification, he refused to comply and became aggressive,” a security source told 964media at the time. “He was engaged in inappropriate behavior inside the vehicle with one of his students.”

According to the source, Falah brandished a knife and injured one officer before trying to flee. As he drove away, he struck officer Mustafa Amer Latif Mujahid, who later died from a skull fracture.

A judicial source said the court based its ruling on forensic evidence and witness statements that confirmed the act was intentional and occurred while the victim was performing his official duties. “The court concluded that the evidence proved the defendant’s criminal intent,” the source said, noting that the incident sparked outrage within both academic and security circles.

The ruling is subject to appeal before the Federal Court of Cassation.