Dubai: A lawyer defending the accused in the rape-murder of a four-year-old boy argued in court on Wednesday that his client should have been placed under police surveillance since he had a long criminal record.
And psychiatric experts testified that although defendant R.R. is a paedophile obsessed with young boys, he is stable and sane.
"Previous police and prosecution records showed that the 30-year-old Emirati suspect had a long criminal record of sex abuse," argued lawyer Mohammad Al Sa'adi when he defended his client before the Dubai Court of First Instance.
"He had also been convicted and sentenced in sex-related crimes. The medical committee said he was mentally stable and aware of his behaviour and actions at the time of the recent rape-murder incident which happened on Eid Al Adha.
"Since his release in the crime before the last one, the suspect R.R. should have been placed under police surveillance."
The court-assigned lawyer told the three-judge jury in packed courtroom 4: "Had R.R. been monitored by the police, there could have been a possibility that the rape-murder crime of four-year-old, M.M., could not have happened.
"Police surveillance for ex-convicts and suspects with a long criminal-record is a procedural act especially that they represent a threat to our society.
"Ex-sex offenders especially should be monitored closely by law enforcement officers to protect victims from any potential sexual abuse."
Strange to society
Addressing Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir and his two deputy judges, Dr Ali Al Galadari and Mansour Al Awadi, Al Sa'adi argued that the rape-murder crime is strange to UAE society which is conservative, understanding, religious and secure.
"My client gave a detailed confession during investigations… and by that he shut all the possible means to defend him.
"However, our main defence is to counter the factor of premeditation in the pre-planned and premeditated murder charge. The whole incident lasted between three and five minutes and that didn't allow R.R. to premeditate the crime," said Al Sa'adi.
Prior to the lawyer's defence, the jury cross-examined the statements of the three psychiatrists who prepared R.R.'s mental evaluation report.
The committee's chairman and president of psychiatry ward at Rashid Hospital, Dr Mohammad Hussain said in court: "Following a five-hour long mental evaluation and examinations for R.R., it was concluded that he is sane and mentally stable. "He doesn't suffer any mental or psychological illness. He suffers from extreme behavioural delinquency, having a strong urge to have sex with young children… his addiction to drugs and alcohol helps him enjoy having sex with young boys.
"Our thorough evaluation has concluded that he has transformed from a person who desires to have sex with children to a person who has had sex with children. He is a paedophile."
Dr Hussain pointed out in court that the suspect has a long sex-crime record. "His sexual desire is limited to very young boys…" he added.
Another psychiatrist, who testified on Wednesday, said R.R. is mentally stable, a paedophile and was responsible for his actions during the incident. The jury heard a third doctor's testimony.
Chief Prosecutor Yousuf Foulaz asked the jury to club the committee's report to the case file and impose a death sentence.
Judgement will be given on January 27.
Timeline
- January 13: Court is told psychiatric tests conclude that although defendant R.R. is mentally stable and sane he is a paedophile obsessed with young boys.
- January 3: R.R. is ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation as requested by the Defence.
- December 30: Court adjourns after hearing witnesses’ statements, including a tearful testimony by the boy's father, who demanded the court hand out capital punishment.
- December 23: R.R. initially retracted his confession, only to admit committing the crime later. His lawyers refuse to defend him in court due to the nature of the crime, advocate Mohammad Al Sa’adi volunteers to take up the case. The prosecution asks the court to implement death sentence.
- December 1: Police arrest and charge Emirati suspect, R.R., 30, who confessed to the sexual assault and murder of the boy.
- November 27: Four-year-old Pakistani boy M.M. is found raped and murdered in the toilet of a mosque in Al Qusais.
