ABU DHABI // Six men who are defendants in a two-year long murder trial were allegedly charged fees by a legal agent although they have a court-appointed lawyer.
The men, all from Bangladesh, are accused of murder, and their appointed lawyer, Amal Al Rashedi, told the criminal court she received a call from her clients saying they were paying fees to an agent named M, from Sudan, who worked with her legal firm.
“Could the court’s translator please explain to them that I was appointed by the court, which means I don’t receive any legal fees,” she said.
“There are people inside and outside the prison that are taking advantage of defendants and taking money from them.
“There is also another person they met inside the prison who told them he knows their lawyer and took the money from them.”
She said that the defendants had complained about the duration of their case, which started two years ago.
“We are waiting to reach the victim’s heirs to hear their decision about the fate of the defendants, that is why it is taking so long and we cannot proceed until we find them,” Chief Justice Idris Binmansour said, referring to the heirs’ right to call for a death sentence, or the payment of blood money. “We are trying to contact them through the embassy.”
The court then asked if any of the defendants were able to reach the relatives of the victim.
They said they did not because they did not know the victim.
“We have been appearing in front of the criminal court for two years and until now no one [has] responded to our request and handed us a copy of the case files,” defendant Q H said.
The chief justice issued the defendants a permit to acquire a copy of the papers.
Mrs Al Rashedi then asked the court to give her permission to sit with defendant K H, who speaks classical Arabic, so that he could explain the details of the story behind the fees they have paid to the alleged agent.
The case was adjourned until May 27 so that the victim’s heirs may be reached. The details of the murder were not disclosed during the hearing.
hdajani@thenational.ae
