Fayhan case: Strict action for attempts to criticize court decision

RIYADH: The Ministry of Justice has quashed rumors over the recent acquittal of a man who had been charged with rape-murder of his five-year-old daughter, warning that anybody trying to defame the judiciary will face strict action, local media reported on Saturday.
Fayhan Al-Ghamdi was acquitted by an appeals court of the charges of sexually assaulting and unintentionally murdering his daughter Lama. The court released him on bail and transferred his case to Houta Bani Tammim court for a review.
The investigation report showed no signs of semen on the child’s body and that the child may have died to excesses by the father in disciplining her, which could mean domestic violence. The ministry was quoted as saying that the earlier sentence against the man (eight years in prison and 800 lashes) was for his severe beating of the child and not for sexual assault or murder.
The child’s step-mother had also been sentenced with prison and lashing for not notifying the authorities to give the necessary protection for the girl.
Adviser and Justice Ministry spokesman Mansour Alqaffari told local media that the prosecution did not link in its indictment the death of the child and the assault accusation against the father and his second wife.
“In relation to the private rights vindicated in court, the divorcee and mother of the child filed a lawsuit against the defendant and his wife, demanding the most severe punishment to both. But during the case proceedings, the mother offered reconciliation with the defendant,” said the spokesman.
The prosecution did not bring any charges of murder or sexual assault against the defendant, he said.
He said what has been published in the media on the case and the mutual accusations between the parties of the case are all personal accusations and disputes and any party affected by these allegations can file a complaint.