SHARJAH // An American accused of killing his father with a fire extinguisher asked his uncle to do the same to him, a Sharjah court has heard.
The 18-year-old defendant has denied the murder charge, telling Sharjah Criminal Court that he did not mean to kill his father and does not remember doing it.
The defendant’s uncle testified in court on Monday, saying he found his brother’s body after receiving a call that he was sick at his office.
“When I entered the office, I saw my brother’s body in a pool of blood, and saw bruises on his skull and face,” he told the court.
The uncle said he saw his nephew on the lower floor of the building. “He told me he wanted to save his father and rushed upstairs. I followed him, and saw him near the body and kissing his father’s head,” the uncle said.
“He grabbed a fire extinguisher that was near the body and told me to hit him with it, just like he did to his father. Then he produced a small knife and asked me to stab him with it.”
He said his nephew received psychiatric treatment and had medical reports to prove it. There were no prior problems between the father and son, he said.
Sharjah Prosecution said the American had acted strangely during interrogations, telling prosecutors that he was possessed and that a jinn told him to kill his father.
The defendant, who is of Arab origin, had been living in the US before his father brought him to the UAE. Sharjah Prosecution referred him to a hospital for a psychological evaluation.
A police officer said in court that he was dispatched by the Sharjah Command Centre to the scene of a stabbing incident in Al Mahata area.
“When I arrived at the location, I found the defendant and his uncle near the body, which was lying on the ground in a pool of blood,” the Emirati officer said.
He secured the crime scene and called for police backup and forensic teams.
“The face of the victim showed signs of injuries, and there was a fire extinguisher in the room,” the officer said.
“The 18-year-old told me that he killed his father, and he was acting in weird way and did not seem rational to me.”
The next hearing is scheduled on September 5.
tzriqat@thenational.ae
