Man accused of exploiting seven-year old 'son'

Dubai: A man who is accused of exploiting a seven-year-old boy’s disability by making him beg has pleaded with a court to allow him to see the boy, whom he hasn’t seen since he was detained.

Police held the 37-year-old Yemeni man, M.M., when he was spotted using the boy, whom he claims to be his son, to beg in Abu Hail in September.

Prosecutors charged M.M. with entering the UAE illegally and returning to the country, despite having been deported earlier.

“I want to see my son. I haven’t seen him since I was detained and he was taken away from me. I must see him and check on him,” he told the Dubai Misdemeanours Court on Sunday.

The defendant admitted that he had entered the country illegally after having been deported.

“I had to do so because I was seeking financial assistance for my son’s medication,” he told the court.

On Wednesday, M.M. appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance where he denied the charge of human trafficking. Prosecutors accused M.M. of abusing his son’s hearing and speech impediment to beg in the UAE.

“I brought the boy to the UAE for medical care and treatment. I did not use him for begging… that’s not true,” said the defendant.

During Sunday’s hearing, the presiding judge told M.M. to lodge an official request at the Dubai Public Prosecution to be allowed to see his son.

Since the case surfaced in September 2013, the boy has been admitted to the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children.

The man explained in court that the seven-year-old requires medication.

“When I could not afford it, I brought him here for medical purposes. I did ask for money to pay for his medication,” M.M. said.

The Dubai Misdemeanours Court will give a ruling on Tuesday.

The Court of First Instance (human trafficking charge) reconvenes next month.

A police lieutenant testified to prosecutors that he spotted the man standing with the boy and asking people for money at 7.30pm.

“Records showed that M.M. had entered the country illegally. He had been deported earlier. The defendant claimed that the boy was his son and that they were deported earlier for begging,” the lieutenant said.

Records said the father provided prosecutors with papers to confirm that the seven-year-old boy was his son.

Meanwhile Dubai Police’s forensic laboratory confirmed that M.M. was not the boy’s biological father.