The newspaper quoted Sheikh Abdullah Al-Othaim, member of the Court of Appeals and former chairman of the Summary Court as saying that the criminal would be tried for spreading corruption on earth, a charge which results in a sentence of beheading, crucifixion or dismemberment if proven, according to the Qur'an.
“This is a rare and unbelievable crime in our society,” Sheikh Al-Othaim said, calling on parents to protect their daughters against such criminals.
Meanwhile, Jeddah police spokesman Brig. Misfer Al-Juaid said all evidence collected since 2009 indicated that it was the suspect who committed the rapes. He said many of the victims have identified him.
A DNA test that proved beyond doubt it was the teacher who was responsible for the attacks meant another suspect who had spent six months in custody without charge was released.
Al-Madinah daily reported the suspect, who was also in his 40s, was caught in a village near Makkah and pornographic clips and photos were found on his mobile phone.
It quoted police sources as saying that officers had started to look for other suspects in the case as a number of other rapes took place while the teacher was in prison.
The newspaper also quoted director of education in Jeddah Abdullah Al-Thaqafi as saying that they had so far not received any information or any letter from the police on the detained teacher.
“According to education department rules, he will be sacked if he is absent from his job for 15 days without providing an acceptable excuse,” he said.
Al-Thaqafi expressed the Education Ministry’s strong condemnation of the attacks and said its legal department was also monitoring developments.
