Satan claim rubbished, Muezzin gets 10-yr jail

Manama

An Indian muezzin (prayer caller) accused of abusing a mentally ill teenage boy was sent to 10 years in jail. The 45-year-old accused, father of four, was also ordered him to be deported upon completion of his jail term. His case was heard at the High Criminal Court over accusations of sexually abusing a 13-year-old native during private Quran lessons.

The accused earlier claimed he was seduced by satan to commit the crime and pleaded not guilty before the High Criminal Court. According to court files, he deliberately touched the victim's private body parts while giving the lessons at a mosque in Adliya.

"My child is suffering from a slight mental disorder, but when I heard about a Quran teaching programme I decided to enrol him," the mother of the victim told prosecutors.

"I met the muezzin and requested him to accept my child," she added.

Court files indicated the accused has been a resident of Bahrain for the past 25 years, and worked as a licensed muezzin for 20 years across several mosques.

"After going to the mosque on February 15 and 16 this year, he came to me and told me the muezzin had sexually abused him," the mother said adding, "I immediately went to police and filed a complaint against him."

During questioning, the accused claimed “satan whispered” to him to touch the victim's back and thighs. "I have been working as muezzin in Bahrain for 20 years, and something like this has never happened before," he told prosecutors. The muezzin was accused of sexually abusing a minor, and betraying the trust of the victim's family.`