ABU DHABI // A man appealing against his conviction for assaulting an 11-year-old boy after praying with him at a mosque has denied trying to flee the country.
The man told the Appeals Court on Thursday that he had never seen the boy, his father, or his cousin – all of whom testified at his trial in the Criminal Court – and that he had no idea as to why they had accused him.
When asked by the appeals judge why he had escaped to Saudi Arabia after the incident, the Emirati replied: “I did not escape. I travel there regularly for business.”
The judge said records from the Ministry of Interior showed the man did make occasional trips to Saudi Arabia, but that these tended to last for only a few days at a time, whereas he stayed for 10 months after the boy was assaulted.
The man replied he had family problems at the time.
“My mother and uncle had a car crash during that period and were injured,” he said. “It took quite some time for them to recover.”
He asked to confront the boy, claiming that his testimony contradicted that of other witnesses.
The judge adjourned the case until this Thursday and asked for the boy to attend. He said he wanted to see the boy’s size as the man was “quite petit”.
The boy claimed at the criminal court that after prayers the man led him to his house before trying to kiss him and rape him, but that he kicked him away and escaped.
His cousin testified that he had heard the worshipper inviting the boy home and said he heard the boy’s screams when he passed the man’s home that evening.
The boy’s father also testified, saying his son had suffered sleeping problems since the attack and was now scared of older men.
The sentence handed down by the criminal court was not mentioned in records.
hdajani@thenational.ae
Did you know?
Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.
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2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
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COMPANY PROFILE
What is Folia?
Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal's new plant-based menu will launch at Four Seasons hotels in Dubai this November. A desire to cater to people looking for clean, healthy meals beyond green salad is what inspired Prince Khaled and American celebrity chef Matthew Kenney to create Folia. The word means "from the leaves" in Latin, and the exclusive menu offers fine plant-based cuisine across Four Seasons properties in Los Angeles, Bahrain and, soon, Dubai.
Kenney specialises in vegan cuisine and is the founder of Plant Food Wine and 20 other restaurants worldwide. "I’ve always appreciated Matthew’s work," says the Saudi royal. "He has a singular culinary talent and his approach to plant-based dining is prescient and unrivalled. I was a fan of his long before we established our professional relationship."
Folia first launched at The Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills in July 2018. It is available at the poolside Cabana Restaurant and for in-room dining across the property, as well as in its private event space. The food is vibrant and colourful, full of fresh dishes such as the hearts of palm ceviche with California fruit, vegetables and edible flowers; green hearb tacos filled with roasted squash and king oyster barbacoa; and a savoury coconut cream pie with macadamia crust.
In March 2019, the Folia menu reached Gulf shores, as it was introduced at the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay, where it is served at the Bay View Lounge. Next, on Tuesday, November 1 – also known as World Vegan Day – it will come to the UAE, to the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach and the Four Seasons DIFC, both properties Prince Khaled has spent "considerable time at and love".
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