Dubai: Wudeema’s father was forced into court on Tuesday after he previously refused to attend a hearing prompting a judge to allow Dubai Police to intervene.
Present in his prison dress, the 29-year-old Emirati father, Hamad S., appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance that heard from two prosecution witnesses.
Hamad and his 27-year-old Emirati girlfriend (who claims to be his wife), Al Onoud A. have denied illegally confining his two daughters in a flat, torturing eight-year-old Wudeema to death and injuring seven-year-old Meera.
During Wednesday’s trial, Hamad argued that some law enforcement officers lied under oath and gave false statements.
The father, who is charged with torturing his late daughter emotionally and physically, claimed before presiding judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi, that the officers were the ones who messed his residence at International City.
Hamad contradicted their allegation that they visited the flat once.
Hamad and his lawyer asked the court to hear two defence witnesses who will be produced before the court when it reconvenes on January 20.
Al Onoud was banned from addressing journalists who attended Wednesday’s trial.
Presiding judge Al Mahdi adjourned the hearing to question the last prosecution witness and for lawyers to present their defence arguments.
Since the previous hearing, presiding judge Al Mahdi has refused requests from Hamad or Al Onoud to be absent from the trial.
Under the Criminal Procedures Law, a court is obliged to hear all prosecution witnesses in the presence of defendants involved in crimes, the punishment of which could be the death sentence.
In a previous hearing, a dramatic scene unfolded when Wudeema’s father got irritated by a lieutenant’s testimony and jumped over the dock to attack the witness before police restrained him.
Three policemen restrained Hamad, preventing him from approaching the witness.
Al Onoud previously admitted in court that she bore full responsibility of what happened.
“I did everything. I want you to give me a capital punishment… [she cursed and used foul language against the lieutenant].”
Prosecutors are seeking capital punishment against the defendants.
