Courts / Kildare / Report

Psychiatrist has changed view on man's mental illness after he spent 16 years in jail for murder

Date
2019-12-10

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Clane

County
Kildare

Summary

In a 2003 trial at the Central Criminal Court, a psychiatrist who had earlier testified that Yusif Ali Abdi was not suffering from paranoid schizophrenia now stated that Abdi displayed early signs of the condition in 2001. Abdi, a 46‑year‑old Somali refugee, was charged with murdering his 20‑month‑old son, Nathan, on 17 April 2001. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment. The prosecution argued that Abdi's mental health deteriorated after traumatic experiences in Somalia, including the death of his father, and that he became paranoid about Gardaí. Evidence was presented that Abdi had been admitted to the Central Mental Hospital from November 2001 until 2003 and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2013. The case was retried in 2019 after a Court of Appeal decision to order a retrial based on newly discovered facts. Yusif Ali Abdi was convicted.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Psychiatrist has changed view on man's mental illness after he spent 16 years in jail for murder. Charges or matters: murdering 20-month-old Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali at The Elms, College Road, Clane, Co Kildare on April 17, 2001; murdering his son by a 10-2 majority verdict on May 28, 2003. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted

When:

April 17, 2001 Hearing Or Sentence
June 1997 Hearing Or Sentence
November 1999 Incident
April 17 Hearing Or Sentence
November 2001 Hearing Or Sentence
May 28, 2003 Hearing Or Sentence
February 2019 Incident
2001 until 2003 Other
2019-12-10 Publication

Why: On the day of the killing, Mr Clarke explained that Mr Abdi was living in an apartment in Clane and Ms Bailey brought her son to visit the accused as they weren't living with him at the time. CNI source report

Case subjects

Yusif Ali Abdi

Accused

Charges: murdering 20-month-old Nathan Baraka Andrew Ali at The Elms, College Road, Clane, Co Kildare on April 17, 2001; murdering his son by a 10-2 majority verdict on May 28, 2003 (Proven)

Plea: Not guilty

Finding: Convicted

Outcome: Convicted