Dubai: Prosecutors are seeking the death sentence for a man who has been accused of possessing methamphetamine to sell, and also providing his girlfriend with the mind-altering substance, which they took at home together.
Acting on a tip-off, drug enforcement officers arrested the 35-year-old Filipino, O.A., outside his Satwa home in April. He was found to be in possession of 4.75g of methamphetamine which was hidden in his pockets. He was also charged with consuming the drug himself.
When a drug enforcement team raided his house, they also found his Filipina girlfriend, C., under the influence of methamphetamine.
The Filipino on Wednesday denied possessing banned substances for trading purposes before the Dubai Court of First Instance.
“I did not sell drugs. I did not possess it for trading purposes, but I had it for consumption purposes,” O.A. said
“Did you provide the woman, C., with the mind-altering substance?” asked presiding judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi.
“No, I did not. She lives with me and she consumed the same substance that I consumed. But I did not give it to her,” he replied.
“After obtaining permission from the prosecutors, an anti-narcotics police team headed to the location. We spotted A.O. standing at the entrance of the building where he stayed. We searched him and found methamphetamine hidden in his pockets. He had on him two plastic pouches and a small nylon bag. Then we took him up to his residence where we found the woman [C.] to be under the influence of methamphetamine. More banned substances were also seized in his bedroom. Upon confrontation, the defendant admitted that he and C. consumed methamphetamine few hours before their arrest. Meanwhile the woman claimed that A.O. provided her with the substance,” an anti-narcotics police captain told prosecutors.
The suspect was cited admitting to the investigating prosecutor that a Korean man had provided him with the methamphetamine to sell to a man called Christian for Dh10,000. The Filipino was quoted admitting that he was promised Dh1,000.
According to prosecution records, C is to stand trial soon before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court for taking methamphetamine.
Presiding judge Al Mahdi said the court will appoint a lawyer to defend A.O. when it reconvenes on July 9.
