TEHRAN/SARI: An Iranian woman, accused of orchestrating one of the country’s most extensive serial murder sprees, appeared before the Sari Revolutionary Court this week. Prosecutors allege that 60-year-old Kolsum Akbari poisoned 11 of her husbands over a 22-year period, beginning in 2000, to inherit their wealth.
According to court documents cited by IranWire and reported by Gulf News on Friday, Akbari targeted elderly men, administering lethal combinations of diabetes medication, sexual enhancement drugs, and, in some cases, industrial alcohol. Because her victims were old and often in poor health, their deaths initially appeared natural, enabling the killings to continue undetected for more than two decades.
The investigation began in 2023 following the death of her last husband, Azizollah Babaei. His son grew suspicious and consulted a family friend, who revealed that Babaei had once been married to a woman named Kolsum who had tried to kill him. The family recognised her as Babaei’s current wife and alerted authorities.
During interrogation, Akbari allegedly confessed to all 11 murders and an attempted killing. Prosecutors say her motive was to inherit her spouses’ property and assets.
At Wednesday’s court session, families of four victims demanded her execution under Islamic law. More than 45 plaintiffs have joined the case. Akbari’s defence counsel requested a psychiatric evaluation, but one plaintiff rejected the claim of mental illness, arguing that the calculated planning demonstrated intent.
The court is expected to announce its verdict after the conclusion of hearings
