A Dubai court has sentenced to death a Jordanian man convicted of raping and killing an eight-year-old boy.

The Dubai court of first instance convicted 49-year-old Nidal Eisa Abdullah of kidnapping Obaida Sedqi from his father’s garage on May 20 before raping and killing the boy, the local Gulf News daily said.

He was also ordered to pay 21,000 dirhams (N1, 814,025.00) to the victim’s parents.

According to newsmen, Abdullah is said to have “lured the eight-year-old to his car by offering to buy him a scooter” before having forced sex with the boy and then strangling him.

But during one of the hearings, Abdullah told the court that he had mental problems.

“I was not conscious or awake and do not remember what happened that day,” 

By law, the death sentence will automatically be petitioned.