Moosa died of head trauma, expert says

The four-year-old boy assaulted and murdered in a mosque at the start of Eid al Adha died because his head was beaten repeatedly against the floor, an appeals court hears.

DUBAI 10th January 2010.  MURDERED BOY. COLLECT PIC of  Moosa Mukhtiar Ahmed.   *** Local Caption ***  SL-family-008.jpg
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DUBAI // The four-year-old boy assaulted and murdered in a mosque at the start of Eid al Adha died because his head was beaten repeatedly against the floor, an appeals court heard yesterday. It was the first time a court has heard a medical examiner say exactly how Moosa Mukhtiar Ahmed was killed. Dr Ashraf Ibrahim, of the Dubai Police forensic department, said the head trauma led to a blood clot and deadly brain swelling.

The man convicted of killing Moosa, Rashid al Rashidi, was sentenced to death by firing squad on January 27 by the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance. Al Rashidi's lawyer, Abdel Rahman al Midrib, had disputed Dr Ibrahim's findings, claiming his report had not specified the exact cause of Moosa's death. Mr Midrib had also said the report was unclear as to whether his client had been raped the boy as prosecutors charged.

Dr Ibrahim said that although the investigation had found proof of sexual assault, in his opinion there was no evidence of rape. The trial was adjourned until Sunday for closing arguments. If the appeals court upholds the lower court ruling, al Rashidi, 30, will be executed. amustafa@thenational.ae