DUBAI // A man convicted of murdering a four-year-old boy on the first day of Eid al Adha last year will receive his third and final verdict from the Dubai courts next week, bringing his appeals process to an end. Rashid al Rashidi was convicted in January in the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance of murdering and raping Moosa Mukhtiar Ahmed on the first day of Eid al Adha last year, and was sentenced to death. The Dubai Court of Appeals upheld the lower court verdict on April 1.
Al Rashidi was not present at yesterday's Dubai Court of Cassation hearing and the defence counsel, Abdelrahman al Midrib, was absent as well after previously presenting his appeal to the five-judge panel. Mr al Midrib had stated that a number of legal procedures were incorrectly implemented by the lower courts. The Court of Cassation, the emirate's highest court of appeal, is empowered to review the procedures of the lower courts but cannot review evidence presented there.
Mr al Midrib had requested in closing arguments before the Dubai Court of Appeals that the court summon a sociological and psychological committee to evaluate and study the reasons behind the crime before issuing its verdict. The appeals court dismissed the request. @Email:amustafa@thenational.ae