Dubai: An Emirati man pleaded guilty to raping and killing a 4-year-old Pakistani boy in a mosque's washroom, when he appeared before Dubai Appeals Court on Sunday.
"I am guilty, but I didn't intend to kill him… Yes, I raped him," the 30-year-old convict, R.R., who is on death row, said when Presiding Judge Eisa Al Sharif levelled the charges against him.
When the judge asked if he had a lawyer to defend him, R.R., in his white prison dress, replied in a calm voice: "No, Your honour… I don't have one."
R.R. was given a death sentence by the Dubai Court of First Instance last month after he was convicted of raping and murdering 4-year-old Mousa in a mosque's washroom in Al Qusais on first day of Eid Al Adha.
"The court adjourns until February 14 to assign a lawyer to defend the suspect," said Presiding Judge Al Sharif.
R.R. had appealed the primary judgment last week and is seeking leniency and a reduced punishment.
Dubai Public Prosecution also appealed the sentence, asking the Appeal Court to uphold the death sentence.
Liquor consumption
Chief Prosecutor Yousuf Foulaz asked the three-member jury of the Court of First Instance to hand down the toughest punishment applicable, the death penalty, for R.R.
Court of First Instance's Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir Fahmi and his two deputies, judges Dr Ali Al Galadari and Mansour Al Awadhi, sentenced R.R. to death. He was given an additional six months in jail for consuming liquor. The lower court had assigned advocate Mohammad Al Sa'adi to defend R.R.
"Previous police and prosecution records showed that R.R. had a long criminal record of sex abuse. He had also been convicted and sentenced in sex-related crimes. The medical committee which examined him said he was mentally stable and aware of his behaviour and actions at the time of the incident.
"Since his release for the crime before the last one, R.R. should have been placed under police surveillance. Had he been monitored by the police, there could have been a possibility that the rape-murder crime would not have happened… police surveillance for ex-convicts and suspects with a long criminal record is a procedural act especially as they represent a threat to our society," argued Al Sa'adi.
The advocate said his main defence was to counter the factor of premeditation in the murder charge. The whole incident lasted between three and five minutes and that didn't allow R.R. to plan the crime, contended Al Sa'adi.
The jury also listened to the statements of three psychiatrists who prepared R.R.'s mental evaluation report.
The committee's report concluded that R.R. 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," said the report.
