BENTONVILLE — Ali Matar Jr., a former Bentonville school employee, took the witness stand Thursday morning and denied ever sexually abusing three of his former students.
Matar, 22, of Lowell is charged with rape, a Class Y felony, and two counts of sexual assault in the second degree, a Class B felony.
He worked for the Bentonville School District as a leader for Adventure Club at R.E. Baker Elementary. The three kindergarteners were students in Matar’s group in the after school program.
The three girls testified Wednesday and each told jurors that Matar had inappropriately touched them.
Matar was first arrested in May 14, 2014 on suspicion of raping a 5-year-old girl. He was arrested days later on suspicion of sexually assaulting two 6-year-old students.
Matar denied the girl’s claims when he testified Thursday in his defense.
Matar told Justin Hurst, one of his attorneys, that he and anyone who works with children is going to have physical contact with the children. Matar denied that his contact with the children was inappropriate or sexual in nature.
Matar admitting to tickling children, giving them high fives or simply brushing against them.
On Wednesday, the jury watched Matar’s police interview in which he admitted to inappropriately touching the then 5-year-old girl at least four times.
Hurst wanted to know why Matar made the confession.
“I had this story Moss was helping me feed,” Matar said.
Dahrron Moss, a Bentonville police detective, was assigned the case and interviewed Matar.
Matar told Hurst that he wanted to wait until his trial to prove his innocence.
Matar denied ever being alone with any of the children.
Nathan Smith, Benton County’s prosecuting attorney, questioned Matar who continued to maintain his innocence.
Matar continued to testify that police pressured him into making the confession.
“Why do you think these kids would come up here and accused you of this?” Smith asked.
“I don’t know,” Matar responded.
Matar said the children's claims could be as result of questioning from their parents. “I don’t know where these stories come from,” Matar said.
Matar was asked about the confession and he would say that “Moss got me to say that,” and he called the confession a lie.
“I didn’t know that lie was going to get me accused of something with the minimum of 25 years, “ Matar said. “That’s longer than I’ve been alive.”
Matar also wrote a letter of apology to the then 5-year-old girl. Smith asked Matar about the letter, and Matar maintained that the letter is what police told him about the case.
Matar told jurors he was telling the truth on the witness stand but his statements to police are lies.
Natalie Tibbs, a forensic nurse with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Benton County, examined the then 5-year-old girl and she saw no signs of sexual abuse.
Tibbs testified that injuries are not present in all child abuse cases.
The defense rested their case Thursday morning.
Prosecutors did not present any rebuttal witnesses.
Circuit Judge Brad Karren will give the jury instructions at 1 p.m. today and then the attorneys will give their closing arguments.
Jurors will then begin their deliberations.