01 April 2008

Final verdict on French boy’s sodomy case

The Dubai Court of Cassation is expected to give its verdict on April 7 in the French boy’s sodomy case that attracted media attention not only in the UAE but also in the West.

The court hearing took place on April 1 in the presence of all the five judges, who will issue the final verdict.

The Court of Cassation has been studying the verdicts of the lower courts which handed out 15-year jail terms to each of the two men found guilty of kidnapping and sexually assaulting the French boy.

The Dubai Court of Appeals had upheld the 15-year jail sentence awarded to the two by the Court of First Instance.

The three defendants in the case are A.K., 35, who is suffering from AIDS, I.M.,18, and I.S., 17, who was referred to the Juveniles Court.

The case dates back to July 14 of last year when the French boy, identified as A.R., and his friend F.K. were offered a ride by a local teenager. The latter called two other friends and drove to a desolate stretch in the desert and took turns in sodomising him. F.K., however, was kept away from the vehicle.

The appellate court had also upheld the referral of the victim’s Dh15-million compensation claim to the Civil Court.
According to the judicial procedure, the Court of Cassation can either uphold the verdicts of the lower courts or revert the case to the appellate court for a fresh trial. Source

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