Obaida's killer gets death sentence

Dubai:  A man who kidnapped an eight-year-old boy on May 20 from his father’s garage in Sharjah and then raped and killed him in Al Mamzar will be executed.

On Monday morning, the Dubai Court of First Instance handed out a unanimous decision that 49-year-old Jordanian convict, Nidal Eisa Abdullah, will be executed.  

When he first appeared in court, Abdullah admitted that he raped and murdered the Jordanian boy, Obaida Sedqi, but denied kidnapping the victim, who he said had willingly sat with him in the car.

On August 8, the defendant told the court: “I have a medical file record at Rashid Hospital’s mental ward. I was not conscious or awake and do not remember what happened that day [day of the incident May 20]. I swear to God I do not remember a thing.”

Pronouncing Monday’s ruling in a fully-packed courtroom, presiding judge Urfan Omar said: “The court has unanimously agreed to sentence defendant Nidal Eisa Abdullah to death. The convict will also have to pay Dh21,000 in temporary compensation to the blood parents (parents of Obaida)."

At 9:16 am sharp, after the attendees heard the ruling and presiding judge Omar called the hearing to an end, 10s of Obaida's parents and relatives started chanting in delight "God is great ... God is great". 

The mother was spotted dashing in tears of sorrow and comfort meanwhile the father hugged all those around him. 

"May you rot in hell and God punish you," a relative was heard saying while scores of people started evacuating courtroom three

According to Monday's ruling, the convict will be deported following the execution. 

The ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.  

However as per the Criminal Procedures Law, death sentences are automatically appealed by prosecutors and convicts. 

Abdullah’s court-appointed lawyer, Omran Darwish, defended earlier: “This is an awful, ugly and atrocious crime and it is unacceptable. The public and the victim’s parents are in pain. Honestly, the defendant admitted in front of me that he did not have any intention to commit what he had been accused of doing. Obaida has gone to the other world … he is at peace away from life.”

The lawyer asked the court to modify the accusation of intentional killing to beating which led to death.

“Abdullah did not intend to kill Obaida. He admitted that he has been suffering from mental issues. His fear of being shamed for what had happened pushed him to do what he did [strangle the victim]. As per the forensic examiner’s statement in court, Obaida’s neck was so tenuous and fragile … and which led to his death.”

Darwish asked the court to observe Abdullah’s confession before the police and prosecutors “cautiously and thoroughly”.

He also asked the court to refer Abdulla to a committee of psychological experts to examine his sanity and study his mental capabilities. 

Meanwhilem Chief Prosecutor Dr Ali Al Hosani who presented Dubai Public Prosecution’s verbal argument before presiding judge Urfan Omar said: “Following this horrendous crime, our children, parents and all member of the society were petrified. We were heart-broken due to what had happened to the angel ‘Obaida’. The suspect himself is a father … where were his fatherly feelings when he committed such an atrocious act? The suspect is a monster who does not deserve to live among us … he doesn’t deserve to live in this society. He deserves to be sentenced to death.”

Obaida’s soul won’t rest in peace and will only rest in peace after the kidnapper, rapist and killer is sentenced to death, according to Dr Al Hosani, because “that’s the punishment he deserves”.

The last time the father saw Obaida alive was in Abdullah’s car at 5pm shortly before the latter had decided to kidnap and rape the eight-year-old, added the chief prosecutor. 

Records said Abdullah lured the boy to his car by offering to buy him a scooter and then he drove to Al Mamzar area in Dubai.

There, he moved the 8-year-old to the back seat and had forced sex with him. He also assaulted the boy before he strangled him with a red ghutra when the victim tried to defend himself.

Prosecutors accused the defendant of five crimes — premeditated murder, kidnap, rape of a minor, drinking and driving a vehicle under the influence of liquor.

Prosecutors said the defendant used deceptive methods and lured the boy into his car from his father’s shop in Sharjah.

The lawyer of the victim’s family, advocate Obaid Al Mazmi produced in court a civil lawsuit in which he asked for the implementation of the sternest punishment (capital sentence) against the accused.

In his written lawsuit, Al Mazmi mentioned that Obaida’s parents are seeking Dh21,000 in civil temporary compensation against their moral and emotional damages.

Records said the boy’s father reported the police that his son was kidnapped from Sharjah before a cleaner found the boy’s body under a tree in Al Warqaa area near Academic City Road.