Sharjah: In a bizarre twist of events, an 11-year-old boy in Sharjah has accused his 48-year-old father of trying to kill him.
The case pertains to a custody battle for the boy between a couple, divorced after nine years of marriage.
Since the divorce, the boy was with his 42-year-old mother. But when his custody was transferred to the father after the boy turned 11, the mother sought to get the boy back.
Records at the Sharjah Criminal Court showed that the case came to the light when the boy was out with his friend at a shopping mall. When the father returned home, he did not find his son. He then called the boy on his mobile phone to find out his whereabouts.
According to records, the father then went to the shopping mall and pulled his son by his kandora [local dress for men] to the car, which allegedly left marks around his neck.
The boy then allegedly told his mother that his father tried to strangle him. After this, the mother took steps to take back the custody of the boy. She allegedly told her son what to tell the police as well as in court. She also reported the incident to the authorities, who then contacted the father and summoned him to the police station for interrogation.
Boy’s statement
The boy was asked for his statement to verify the accuracy of the information. The police report showed marks around the neck, after which the case was moved to the court.
The father told the court that he did not want to kill his son. He also told the judge that he loved his son and wanted to discipline him. He denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
Based on the father’s testimony, the judge amended the charges to assault. The judge ordered the father to pay Dh5,000 fine on charges of assault. The custody of the boy has been moved back to the mother.
Meanwhile, the father has moved the child protection department ‘Vision’ and is waiting for a date to see his son again.