Saudi justice... 'Weak' evidence against suspect in serial rapes dropped

JEDDAH - The prosecution will not use 197 pieces of evidence against a schoolteacher suspected of raping at least 13 girls since 2008, Al-Watan newspaper reported on Monday. A source from the General Prosecution and Investigation Board said only three pieces of evidence will be presented in court against the alleged serial rapist. The source said the other 197 proofs were not convincing. The prosecution will present the statement of the last victim, a water bottle and the suspect's car that was seized by the police earlier as evidence against him. A judge from the Court of Cassation in Makkah advised the judge who will review the case to ignore all media reports about the case and to look only for hard evidence. The judge said that justice in the Kingdom is not influenced by outside pressure and does not take the statements of underage children, nor do they approve the pictures and videotapes taken from commercial shops. The verdict on the suspect is based on hard evidence that proves the suspect guilty. The judge said that if the alleged rapist was found guilty, he would face execution. Family members of the alleged rapist said they will hire a lawyer to defend their son. The family learned that the statements of all underage rape victims were dropped, because of the contradicting descriptions of the rapist. A district court judge had said earlier that evidence against the schoolteacher was not enough to convict him. The judge added that there had been no confession as yet from the suspect. A legal consultant, Omar Al-Kholi, demanded the immediate release of the alleged rapist, because there is no hard evidence against him. Full Story>>
Saudi justice... 'Weak' evidence against suspect in serial rapes dropped http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article470298.ece