Lack of evidence; child molester’s life sentence revoked.

The Ras Al Khaimah Court of Appeal has revoked a life sentence ruled against an Arab man, who was sentenced by the lower court of molesting and exploiting a child, for lack of evidence. However, the same court ordered the defendant to serve six months in jail for being found guilty of abducting the victim.

As per the sheet of the charge, the RAK public prosecution had charged the accused of abducting the victim after offering him a car lift. “Instead, he pulled over in an empty and dark place, locked the car, and tried to molest the little boy,” the prosecutor told the court. When the victim opposed, the suspect hit him, and attacked him with a knife, the prosecutor added. “However, the boy managed to push the defendant back, get out of the car and flee with the help of his cousin, an eyewitness.”

Though the suspect denied the charges, the RAK Criminal Court found him guilty and sentenced him to life in prison. But the accused challenged the verdict before the higher court where the defense lawyer claimed that there was no convincing proof submitted in the whole case proving that his client violated the complainant.

Following a number of hearings, and in view of the defense lawyer’s pleading, the court dropped the life sentence for lack of evidence but ordered the defendant to serve six months in jail for being found guilty of seizing the victim.