A TERROR THEATER? [Archives:2000/23/Front Page]

Mohammed Adam Omar, the morgue assistant at the Medical College, Sana’a University, now on trial for raping, killing and mutilating at least 16 young women, denied the confessions he had made in the first and second hearing sittings in court. On Saturday 3 June 2000, he confessed to killing only two girls from Sana’a University; the Iraqi student Zainab and the Yemeni Hossn.
Adam’s denial was shocking and baffling. It was a new turn of the case which has shed more ambiguity over the case. The Yemeni victim’s family from Hamdan, one of the biggest tribes of Sana’a, has created noise and din at the beginning of the session. They withdrew from it in a protest gesture as the court has not brought to trial Adam’s accomplices. It is expected that they will hold a meeting for the tribe in Hamdan to take a stand towards the case. Ismail Al-Dailami, lawyer of the Yemeni victim’s family “Hossn”, had also walked out of court with them. The Iraqi victim’s family, particularly her uncle Sobaih Mutlak, made a furious protest against the Judge and to the proceedings of the session. He was, then, detained by the police. However, their lawyer Abdulaziz Al-Baghdadi continued to present his pleading to the end of the session.
The General Union of the Yemeni Students and Preparatory Committee for Defending Students’ Rights have assigned lawyer Jamal Al-Din Al-Adimi to represent them in their case filed against Sana’a University, officials of Medical college and security men for their lack of the sense of responsibility and attention to perform their duties properly. Due to the recent developments in the ripper’s case, many observers believe it is turning to a theater play, causing public opinion confusion!
Al-Adimi presented during the last Saturday court’s session a request that the prosecution representative Ahmad Hail Othman has stepped down from his post following his statement to Al-Osboo claiming that the college officials should not be held accountable for these actions as their dereliction can not be deemed as a criminal act. Al-Adimi was surprised about Ahmad’s heedlessness of the other relative articles stipulated in the law.
On the other hand, in this session Dr. Mohammed Al-Khatib defended the accused Adam who denied being interviewed by any newspaper and said “I have seen no journalist”. Adam also stated that the motive behind his crimes was to “Set things in the right path”.
So far, a heated controversy has been going on between the prosecution and lawyers of the victims’ families regarding investigations and procedures. The court then accepted the pleadings submitted by victims’ lawyers and referred the case to the prosecution to conduct further investigations.
At the end of the session the trial was adjourned until today, Monday 5.6.2000.
Comperhensive Details on Law & Diplomacy Page.

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