Home Care Iraqi Acquitted of Raping 100-Year-Old Woman

The Iraqi man who in December was sentenced to four years in prison for the rape of a 100-year-old woman has now been acquitted by the Svea Court of Appeal. The court determined that the evidence was insufficient for a conviction.

The 38-year-old Shakir Mohamed Shakir, who previously worked in home care in Stockholm and was responsible for caring for the 100-year-old woman, was also charged with a separate rape against a 94-year-old woman. In that case, the Södertörn District Court found there was not enough evidence to prove his guilt, and he was therefore acquitted.

Both the accused Iraqi, who has consistently denied the charges, and the prosecutor appealed the district court’s verdict. The prosecutor sought convictions in both cases, while the man requested to be fully acquitted.

When the Svea Court of Appeal heard the case, they reached a different conclusion from the district court. The appellate court found that the evidence was not sufficient—not even in the case involving the 100-year-old woman.

According to the appeals court, the central evidence consists of recorded interviews with the two women. In its review, the court pointed out clear shortcomings in these interviews, noting that the women and the interviewer often had difficulty understanding one another. Additionally, information changed during the course of the questioning.

Against this background, the appellate court concluded that it is not proven beyond reasonable doubt that the man committed the crimes—a requirement that must be met for a conviction to be handed down. The man is therefore acquitted and has been released from custody since the beginning of March.