Dubai: An imprisoned precious stone dealer has asked a court to allow him to 'challenge the world' to prove that an onyx, which he promoted for Dh1.8 billion, is bulletproof.

"I am willing to prove to the world that it's a bulletproof onyx stone... I am ready to face a death sentence if that's what will take me to prove that the stone is doubtlessly bulletproof... I didn't con anybody's money, but the police tricked me and filed a malicious case against me," the 52-year-old Yemeni dealer, Q.M., told the Dubai Appeals Court on Monday.

Speaking in a challenging tone before the judge, the Yemeni said: "I ask the court to try the stone in front of the whole world."

The Court of Misdemeanour earlier sentenced him to six months in jail followed by deportation after he was found guilty of attempted swindling.

He has denied attempted swindling and trying to con people by posting a newspaper advertisement in which he promoted the bulletproof onyx stone for Dh1.8 billion, as charged by the Public Prosecution.

Defence lawyer Saeed Al Ghailani, of Saeed Al Ghailani Advocates and Legal Consultants, asked the Appeal's Court judge to assign a physics expert or Dubai police's criminal laboratory to test the stone and decide whether it contains any electromagnetic powers which deviates the bullet before it hits the stone wearer. Al Ghailani also asked the court to acquit his client (Q.M.) and dismiss the uncorroborated evidence.

Tried on sheep

During the hearing, the accused said the stone proved bulletproof when he tried it four times on a sheep. "I had a stall at Global Village where I displayed precious stones, including the onyx. I asked the police to try the stone before confiscating it and arresting me. They refused. I brought it with me from Yemen." Al Ghailani said the Court of Misdemeanour denied his client the right to present witnesses and to try the stone.

"Q.M. is innocent... he didn't even attempt to con or swindle anyone because when he promoted the onyx, he suggested that the interested customer could deposit the money with the police and wait for onyx's trial to prove whether is it bullet-proof or not," argued the lawyer.

The accused told the judge that he's been jailed for almost three months for a crime he didn't commit. "My daughter has become mentally ill because I've been away from her and my wife... I didn't swindle or cheat anyone," he said.