Family urges swift justice for child killer

Defence lawyer questions finding that his client is likely to repeat the crime in future.

The victim's father Mukhtiar Ahmed Khudabaksh with his elder son Mustafah, 7, yesterday.

DUBAI // Psychiatrists have concluded that a man who confessed to sexually assaulteing and killing a four-year-old boy is of sound mind and is likely to commit similar offences in future, his lawyer told the Dubai Court of Criminal Court of First Instance yesterday.

The defendant, RR, an Emirati fishing boat captain who has pleaded guilty, was subjected to a week-long psychiatric evaluation on the orders of the court after his lawyer argued the crime was too gruesome to have been committed by a person in full possession of their faculties. RR has admitted sexually assaulting and killing Moosa Mukhtiar Ahmed on the first day of Eid al Adha in the toilet of a mosque near the child's home in Al Qusais, Dubai. Prosecutors and the victim's family have asked for the death sentence.

"The report states that RR is sane and aware of his actions. Doctors also said that he still had a strong sexual drive to commit the same act again, especially against children," RR's lawyer, Mohammed al Sa'adi, told the court yesterday. Mr al Sa'adi said he questioned how the psychiatric team could establish that his client would offend again and requested that the chief psychiatrist be summoned to testify in court.

"How could they establish that he would repeat such a crime and especially with children? How can they determine something that is in the future?" he asked. The presiding judge, Fahmy Mounir Fahmy, then ordered all three members of the psychiatric team to appear in court on Wednesday to present their findings and be cross examined. The victim's father, Mukhtiar Ahmed Khudabaksh, yesterday urged that the court deliver its verdict as soon as possible so the family could get past the tragedy.

"I am really tired now," he said. "I was standing outside the court today while my brother sat inside. I find it hard to deal with this anymore." Mr Khudabaksh said the defendant was trying to hide behind his mental state to avoid the consequences of his actions. "He knew what he was doing. If this man escapes he will do the same to other children too. For the sake of other families, he must be punished.

"Everyone I meet, irrespective of their religion or nationality, say that the man should be given the worst punishment for what he did. I hope people stand with me," he said. Mr Khudabaksh said Moosa's mother had been ill ever since the incident. "She is not doing well and eats very little," he said. "All the talk in the house about the case is not helping her either." The family, which has lived in a villa in Al Shabiat area of Al Qusais for several years, plans to move out after the verdict is announced.

Officials from the welfare section of the Pakistan Consulate visited the family yesterday and offered full assistance. "They said they are with us in the fight and the Pakistan government will do all it can to ensure we get justice," said Mr Khudabaksh. He is expected to meet the consul general of Pakistan in Dubai today. [e-mail] [e-mail]