Wadeema's uncle: 'He can't be a killer, he gave her an iPad'

A father accused of torturing his two daughters and killing one of them could not have committed the crimes because he loved them so much that he even bought them an iPad.

That is the view of the brother of Hamad Saod Juma Al Sherawi, who, along with his lover Al Anood Mohammad Al Ameri, is on trial for torturing and killing

eight-year-old Wadiyma and torturing her sister Meyra, seven.

Hamad’s 30-year-old brother lodged the original police complaint against his sibling after he said Meyra told him her and Wadiyma, below, were being abused by their dad and his girlfriend.

However, the girls’ uncle yesterday told Dubai Court of First Instance that Hamad’s lover Al Ameri was the sole abuser.

“Meyra told me she was being beaten by her, burned and made to sleep on the floor,” he said. “Those girls were the most precious thing to my brother. It is not

possible that he did such a thing to them.

“Meyra loved her father, she asked me why police took him away. As far as I knew he was taking care of them. He loved them so much; he bought them an iPad.”

Judge Maher Salama mocked the brother, telling him that giving your child an iPad does not mean you love them.

Originally the brother told police Hamad and Al Ameri carried out the torture.

The girls’ mother told the court that she had been friends with Al Ameri since school. She said that after her 2006 divorce from Hamad, she didn’t get to see her girls much as he was granted custody. She added: “I kept in touch with their father but he refused to allow me to see or talk to them.”

The mother said that after Wadiyma’s body was found, Meyra told her what happened, adding: “Meyra said that her father and Al Anood had been assaulting them badly, burning them with a heated iron. They were only given bread to eat.”

An Egyptian forensic doctor who examined Wadiyma’s body said her body was so badly decomposed that he could not determine the cause of her death.

He added: “Meyra suffered many injuries, including burns from cigarettes. There were signs that a heated iron was used on her body. There were also signs that a hot spoon was used to burn her foot.”

A medical report presented to the court determined that the defendants were not mentally unstable and were responsible for their acts. Hamad had claimed he had psychological issues. Dubai Public Prosecution want the death penalty for the pair. The case was adjourned.