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DUBAI, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- The death sentence for a man who kidnapped, raped and murdered eight-year-old Jordanian expat in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been upheld by Dubai Court of Appeal on Sunday, Emirati daily The National reported.
The boy's mother appeared in court on Sunday in order to learn about the outcome of the murder's appeal. When it was announced, she let out a sigh of relief as female friends and family hugged her.
Nidal Ali, 48, from Jordan, kidnapped Obaida, a Jordanian, on May 20 last year while the boy was playing outside his father's garage in an industrial area in the emirate of Sharjah, north-east of Dubai.
The boy's body was found two days later in Al-Warqa, Dubai.
Ali admitted to drinking excessive amounts of alcohol that day and strangling the boy. But the culprit Ali denied sexual assault and kidnapping, claiming the boy went "willingly" into his car.
Dubai's Attorney-General, Essam Eisa Al-Humaidan, called for the death penalty for Nidal Ali on June 15, 2016 and public prosecution granted the request there after.
A psychological evaluation ruled out any mental illness of the prime suspect. In the UAE, capital punishment is usually executed by a firing squad.
