Lawyer assigned to represent Obaida’s killer asks court if he can quit

Omran Darweesh said he can no longer bear the weight of knowing the man was responsible for a child's death any more.

DUBAI // The lawyer representing the man who raped and killed Obaida Al Aqrabawi, 8, asked the Appeals Court on Sunday to excuse him from the case.

“Your honour, I have done my duty as a lawyer and now I cannot bear the heavy weight of a child’s blood,” said Omran Darweesh.

“I have been and am still absolutely unaware and uncertain of the defendant’s condition. He said he was mentally sick and received treatment in Jordan, so is he sick or is he faking it?

“I don’t know and I have asked the lower court to refer him to a medical committee to evaluate his mental abilities but my requests were not met. Therefore I find that I cannot continue to represent him and bear his blood or the blood of an innocent child.”

Jordanian Obaida was kidnapped on May 20 while playing outside his father’s garage in Sharjah’s industrial area. His body was found two days later in Academic City Road in Al Warqa, Dubai.

Nidal Abu Ali, also Jordanian, admitted to drinking excessive amounts of alcohol that day and killing the boy, but denied sexually assaulting him.

Abu Ali, 48, was sentenced to death by Dubai Criminal Court on August 15 for kidnap, rape and premeditated murder. He was also found guilty of drinking alcohol without a licence and driving under the influence.

The Appeals Court said it would give a decision on the lawyer’s request later.

Outside court, Mr Darweesh shook hands with the boy’s father, Ibrahim Al Aqrabawi, and paid his respects.

“Forgive me, but I had to fulfil the duty assigned to me by court,” he told Mr Al Aqrabawi.

Abu Ali had refused to attend the hearing. He had claimed during his trial that he suffered from a mental illness but the court dismissed it as it was not backed up by documents.

His lawyer had submitted a plea to change the charge from premeditated murder to assault that led to death, but the court said that the evidence proved his intention to murder.

The next hearing is scheduled for October 16.