Dubai: Five juveniles have been referred to the Dubai Juveniles Court where they will be prosecuted for the alleged premeditated murder of Ali, an Emirati teenager, Dubai's Attorney General announced yesterday.
The Family and Juveniles Prosecution at Dubai Public Prosecution (DPP) has charged the five Emirati suspects with the premeditated murder of Ali, who was stabbed 12 times in Al Rashidiya area, said Essam Eisa Al Humaidan in a media statement issued yesterday.
"Such a crime is alien to the UAE society. Although the suspects are teenagers and the victim was in the age of adolescence, but the killing happened in a very gruesome and brutal way… preliminary investigations exposed that the suspects committed their alleged crime in an act of revenge. The specialised section at DPP studied the nature and circumstances of the crime and concluded in its report that the outcome of such incidents is dangerous and must be combated," said Al Humaidan.
The Attorney-General confirmed that law enforcement officers, prosecutors and courts curb such crimes and criminals, however, Al Humaidan said: "Parents and members of the society are also invited to join efforts to combat such dangerous and unacceptable behaviours and attitudes amongst teenagers. Children must be protected against involving in such criminal behaviour and parents should do whatever it takes to prevent their children from indulging in such incidents."
Al Humaidan said Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Ali Rustom, Head of Family and Juveniles Prosecution, supervised the investigations which were conducted by senior prosecutor Shehab Ahmad Saleh.
"Their investigations revealed that the five suspects ganged up against 16-year-old Ali and killed him… one of the suspects fatally stabbed Ali 12 times. Prosecutors have asked the Juveniles Court to implement the toughest punishments applicable against the five," added Al Humaidan.
According to the Federal Law of Juvenile Delinquency, a juvenile [under the age of 18] who commits a premeditated murder faces maximum of 10 years in jail.
Rustom told Gulf News in an earlier interview [concerning Ali's case] that the suspects stabbed the deceased with sharp tools in front of his house in Al Rashidiya.
"The Family and Juveniles Prosecution heard nearly nine witnesses in the case. We also received the medical and forensic reports of Dubai Police's forensic laboratory. Then we confronted the suspects with the findings, witnesses' statements and the medical and forensic reports," said Rustom.
The chief prosecutor said the authorities concerned should "strictly police" and regulate the process of selling of knives, swords, cleavers or any sort of sharp tools to teenagers.
On who is to be blamed for juvenile delinquency, Rustom stressed: "I believe there are many factions of the society who are to be blamed… parents, school directors, heads of sporting clubs, bad friends and others. Yet, the biggest responsibility lies on parents."
Hearings of Dubai Juveniles Court are usually held behind closed doors.
