Torture case reports unproven — lawyers
Probe findings were inconclusive
Dubai: Prosecutors and a forensic doctor provided a court with inconclusive reports, argued two lawyers defending 13 policemen charged with torturing a detainee to death and injuring two others.
The 13 Dubai Police officers earlier denied before the Dubai Court of First Instance the charges of torture and extensive beatings during an interrogation which reportedly led to the death of the Pakistani detainee(B.K.), and two others being injured.
Advocates Eisa Bin Haider and Ali Musabeh Dahi contended before the court yesterday that prosecutors failed to carry out complete investigations and the charge sheet was full of loopholes and based on uncorroborated evidence.
The lawyers also said the forensic doctor, who carried out an autopsy on B.K., submitted a groundless and indecisive report and his findings were insufficient.
"Prosecutors carried out an indistinct investigation… the main incident in this case were that B.K. and the injured detainees, S.H. and M.S., kidnapped a victim and killed him in Ajman. Prosecutors disregarded that fact and concentrated on the alleged torture and purported excessive use of force. B.K. was brought from Oman and he died 20 minutes after he entered the police station. B.K. was beaten in Oman. Prosecutors also disregarded the fact B.K., S.H. and M.S. sustained injuries when they fought with the gigantic man whom they kidnapped and murdered in Ajman. Meanwhile the forensic doctor handed in an unfounded report," said Bin Haider.
Prosecutors charged a lieutenant colonel, six lieutenants and six officers with various charges including abuse of power, unlawful detention of the deceased and his two compatriots, torture, extensive use of force during interrogation, forgery and giving false statements. M.S. was said to have sustained burns because some of the suspects sprayed him with WD-40.
"We strongly deny that our clients used WD-40 against M.S… The claimants also gave conflicting statements…" said Dahi.
