New Zealand triplets' dad Martin Weekes 'relieved' at Doha mall fire verdict for Lillie, Willsher and Jackson

A QATARI court sentenced five people to six years jail over a shopping mall blaze last year that killed 19 people, including New Zealand triplets.

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A QATARI court sentenced five people to six years jail over a shopping mall blaze last year that killed 19 people, including New Zealand triplets.

All the 19 people killed in the inferno at Doha's Villagio mall on May 28, 2012, were foreigners, including 13 children, four teachers and two firefighters.

Investigators had said last year that the fire that broke out next to the unlicensed Gympanzee nursery was caused by an electrical fault.

Among the children who died were New Zealand triplets Lillie, Willsher, Jackson Weekes.

Their father Martin Weekes told the New Zealand Herald that he was "relieved and grateful" for the judge's decision.

"I think it was not a verdict that any of us were contemplating - it's been such a dreadful, dreadful year we were just expecting the worst," he said. "So we are pleasantly surprised - if you can say you are surprised and happy about the fact that people have been held accountable for the death of your children."

"The defendants have got 15 days in which to appeal, so I guess we have to wait and see until the end of that period as to what happens after that," Mr Weekes said.

The five defendants have the right to appeal and will remain out of custody until the end of that process - which could last a year, Al-Jazeera reported on its English-language website.

The convicts included Sheikh Ali Bin Jassem al-Thani, a co-owner of the nursery from the ruling family and Qatar's ambassador to Belgium, the pan-Arab broadcaster said, citing one of its reporters at the court.

The rest of them included a second co-owner of the nursery and members of the mall's management, who were unnamed.

The report said that two other defendants - the mall's assistant manager and head of security - were cleared of all charges.