Rapist refuses lawyer, wants to defend self

A man sentenced to life in prison in Ras Al Khaimah after he was convicted of raping an 11-year-old girl rejected a lawyer appointed by an appeals court and insisted on defending himself.

The lawyer told the judge during hearings on Tuesday that he was pulling out of the case after the defendant turned him down.

“The defendant insisted that he wants to defend himself and that he wants the lawyer to be off the case,” 'Emarat Al Youm' daily said.

A court of first instance had sentenced the defendant to life in prison after he was found guilty of raping the child at her home in the Northern emirate.

The paper said the girl told her family and police that the defendant followed her into the house after he saw her empting the waste bin, taking advantage of the absence of her family from home at that time.

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