Abu Dhabi: The second hearing in the case of the sexual abuse and murder of an 11-year-old boy saw the defence putting in a plea for a mental and psychological evaluation of the accused while insisting that a normal person could not have committed such a ghastly act.

The defence based its pleadings on this premise and raised the question as to how anybody could commit such a heinous crime, which, it said, was “unbelievable”.

Boy, 11, was raped and strangled to death in Abu Dhabi

Stepmother’s brother is the suspect in boy’s rape and murder

The defence pleaded that the court grant permission for performing mental and physical examinations of the accused and maintained that such tests would help resolve the case.

The court ordered for the psychological evaluation of the accused and asked if there was any evidence to support claims that the accused could have suffered from any psychological disorders.

The accused, however, denied any such preexisting mental condition.

The boy, Azan Majid Janjua, had gone missing in June and his body was later found on the rooftop of the building where his family lived.

During the court proceedings, the presiding judge asked the boys’ parents whether they were willing to consider a “blood money” request. The parents replied in the negative and demanded the death penalty for the perpetrator.

The boy’s father, a Pakistani, and mother, a Russian, were both present in court.

The mother, who used to visit her son in Abu Dhabi, was in the city when the tragedy occurred.

Hassan Matar Al Riyami, the defence counsel who was appointed by the court, also pleaded that the court allow the accused to make an appearance in court, which was permitted.

“I would like to further discuss the case with the accused. Truth will come forth as the court pronounces its final decision,” the defence counsel said.

Al Riyami met on Wednesday with the accused and said the latter wanted to meet the father of the boy and explain to him that he was not the one who commited the crime.

However, “a medical committee will examine his mental and psychological condition. [Whatever happened and portrayed about his case] nobody will believe that and nobody would do that way. I can’t believe all circumstances,” the defence lawyer argued.

According to the Public Prosecution reports submitted to the court, the accused first raped the boy on the rooftop of the building he used to reside in and then strangled him with a rope.

In the previous hearing, the accused had denied all charges against him.

The defence lawyer said: “We just want to give the accused his full rights to defend himself.”

The accused, who appeared in the court on Wednesday, requested the judge to permit him to meet his family and relatives. The judge asked him to produce a request to the court.

The court posted the case for hearing on October 11.