DUBAI // The father of murder victim Obaida Al Aqrabawi was ejected from a courtroom on Monday after he started shouting at the man accused of sexually assaulting and killing his young son.
Jordanian Ibrahim Al Aqrabawi was escorted out after loudly shouting “may God curse you” at the 48-year-old defendant.
Mr Al Aqrabawi and relatives of the victim were heard talking throughout the hearing before he was taken out towards the end of proceedings.
Omran Darweesh, the Jordanian defendant’s lawyer, submitted a request to the court seeking to have closed hearings.
Eight-year-old Obaida went missing from his Sharjah home two days before his body was found dumped by a motorway in Dubai on May 22.
He had been strangled and sexually assaulted.
Forensic expert Dr Islam, who examined Obaida’s body, told the court he had found injuries on the defendant’s upper right chest, arm and elbow, all caused by the boy’s resisting.
Signs of force due to sexual assault were also visible on Obaida at the time of examination, he said.
Dr Islam said that the strangulation did not cause fractures in Obaida’s neck because bones in children under 10 were still flexible.
The defendant also asked that the court contact human-rights groups over his treatment in prison.
“Can I ask you personally a question, so I can give you and myself some relief?” the defendant said to judge Erfan Omar Attiyah.
“No personal questions to the court,” the bench replied.
An official source said that the defendant was being kept in solitary confinement to prevent suicide attempts, particularly because he had tried to kill himself twice before, according to his criminal record.
The court also listened to the testimony of a police lieutenant who was part of the investigation.
The officer said that he had accompanied the defendant to the scene when they were recreating the events of the crime.
Throughout most of the hearing, the defendant stood silent in a packed courtroom. He was surrounded by eight police officers in the dock, while seven other officers were spread throughout the courtroom.
The next hearing is scheduled for Monday.
salamir@thenational.ae
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