Imam confessed to sexual assault 'under duress'

DUBAI // An imam sentenced to three years in jail for sexually assaulting an eight-year-old boy to whom he was teaching the Quran, yesterday argued in court that his confession was obtained under duress. He asked the court to implicate eight officers who he says assaulted him. DH, a 26-year-old Indian, was found guilty on May 11 of molesting an American Quran student, HM, on January 26 at a mosque in the Tiffany tower of the Jumeirah Lakes Towers.

DH's lawyer Harun Tahlak claimed at the Dubai Court of Appeals that his client confessed only to kissing the boy innocently. "This is not sexual assault, my client kissed the child on the cheek, this is culturally accepted in India and he kissed him like a teacher kisses his student," said the lawyer. Records show that the boy was taken to a private room and molested while his 10-year-old brother was ordered to sit in a corner of the mosque and memorise verses from the Quran.

The boy escaped after he landed a painful blow to the man with his elbow. The victim's father told prosecutors that he had made a deal with DH to teach his sons the Quran before travelling to the United States and paid him Dh600. He said that his sons returned to the mosque two days later to continue classes. The imam held the boy and kissed him, leaving a red mark on his cheek. Police found the imam in a labour camp in al Qouz industrial area and arrested him.

According to an investigating officer's statement he initially denied the charges, but then confessed. Mr Tahlak told the court that no evidence was presented to support the claims registered by police other than DH's confession. He said that his admission to the sexual assault was "unfounded", and that police made him sign the confession under duress and abuse". A medical report was submitted to court outlining the assault that the imam says he suffered at the hands of the officers. Mr Tahlak also told the court that his client told prosecutors about the assault, naming and describing all eight officers from the Jebel Ali police station.

"Prosecutors failed to arraign the officers although they have received medical evidence and statements," he said. Mr Tahlak called for an inquiry to be ordered by court into the eight officers involved in the interrogation. Further, Mr Tahlak asked the court to present the officers for cross-examination along with the father and the victim. The court is to reconvene on August 22. [e-mail]