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28 March 2024

Lawyer refuses to defend man accused of raping child

Lawyer refuses to defend man accused of raping child. (EB FILE)

Published
By Mohammed Elsdiafy

The lawyer appointed to defend a 21-year-old Pakistani, MR, who is accused of raping an eight-year-old Bangladeshi girl, NK, withdrew from the case yesterday citing professional ethics as the reason.

Abbas Al Hawi, who was appointed by the Dubai Criminal Court as the accused MR's legal counsel, told the court he refused to defend clients accused of "such crimes".

The court assigned the Public Prosecution to appoint another lawyer and adjourned the case yesterday to March 1 after hearing the testimonies of two witnesses, policemen Mohammed Sabt and Ahmed Murad, who attended the hearing.

They were asked to reappear at the next hearing.

The victim said in her testimony to the Public Prosecution that while she was standing near the Al Kholafaa Al Rashideen Centre for Quran Memorisation along with fellow students, the defendant's car stopped near them. He rolled down the window and asked them to get into his car as he wanted to buy sweets and juice for them. She said he added he would give Dh10 to anyone who got into his car.

She said she believed him and boarded his car, and he drove into the parking lot of a building in the area.

He then allegedly moved to the rear seat where the victim was sitting and ordered her to remove her clothes. When she refused, he slapped her and allegedly threatened to kill her and cut her with a sword he had in the car.

She said he then removed her clothes and molested and sodomised her. He also allegedly threatened to hit her again if she told anyone about what had happened and then drove her back to the centre.

When the girl reached home, she told her mother.

Her father had already gone out with police to search for her.


Man pleads not guilty

A 37-year-old Bangladeshi, MA, accused of five charges – threatening to attack an Uzbek, AS, 43, secretary, if she did not issue a visit visa to one of his relatives; destroying a Dh310 vase; vandalising AS's residence, insulting her and consuming alcohol – pleaded not guilty to all the charges at the Dubai Criminal Court.

The court adjourned the case to February 15, placing the defendant in custody.

 

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