DUBAI // Dubai's highest court yesterday overturned the conviction of five Emirati teenagers involved in the stabbing death of a 13-year-old Emirati during a street brawl in March.
The Dubai Court of Cassation ordered the case to be retried in the Court of Appeal with a new panel of judges. No reasons were given for the ruling.
The five juveniles were found guilty of involvement in the death of Ali Mohammed Hassan, who was stabbed 12 times and left to die. On July 6, the Dubai Juvenile Court convicted HA, 16, sentencing him to 10 years in custody, with the sentence beginning at a juvenile detention centre.
AM, 17, was sentenced to five years. The two also were convicted of causing grievous bodily harm to the victim's brother and his friend.
HA's sentence was the harshest possible under UAE law.
AA, 15, SH, 14 and AH, 15, were referred to a juvenile reform centre and placed on probation until they turned 18. They were convicted of aiding and abetting the crime.
According to prosecution records, HA stabbed Ali Mohammed Hassan in front of his house while AM urged him on.
AA, SH and AH were convicted of conspiring and goading HA and AM into the attack.
AH, according to prosecutors, gave the knife used in the attack to HA, while SH carried a wooden plank used to beat the other victims.
The police report filed on the night of the killing states that a police officer in a neighbouring house heard a scream outside and found Ali lying in a pool of blood. He rushed the boy, who was still alive, to Rashid Hospital. Ali later died of his injuries.
A date for the retrial has not been set.
