UAE | Crime
Angered violator steals RTA device
An employee stood trial yesterday for stealing a digital device for processing parking tickets. He is accused of taking it from a Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) inspector who booked him at Souq Murshed.
- By Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:17 March 25, 2009
Dubai: An employee stood trial yesterday for stealing a digital device for processing parking tickets. He is accused of taking it from a Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) inspector who booked him at Souq Murshed.
Records show the 24-year-old Syrian employee became outraged and forcefully took the device from the RTA inspector, and drove away.
"I am not guilty and didn't steal the device. I headed to the police station and returned it 40 minutes after the incident& I didn't see any signpost which warns motorists that the spot is in a paid parking area. I parked for nearly one hour. Then I returned from shopping and the minute I drove my car, the inspector came and fined me for parking without a ticket," argued the defendant, F.M., before the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday.
F.M. dismissed the accusations of the Public Prosecution and told Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir that he returned the device. He argued in court that one hour after leaving his car the inspector fined him.
"The suspect parked without placing a parking ticket on his dashboard. When I returned after ten minutes and the car was still without a ticket, I decided to fine the driver. While I was processing the ticket, he walked towards me and argued that he didn't see any signpost saying it is a paid parking. I told him there are signposts everywhere& I also asked him to complain to the RTA management incase he had any objection," claimed the inspector.
The claimant alleged that the defendant got outraged. "He tried to prevent me from registering his car plate number by standing before the plate to block my vision. I calmed him down and asked him to stop cursing. He sat in his car and cursed me again and some onlookers stood around us watching," testified the inspector who claimed that the suspect took away the device from him when he walked towards his window to give him the ticket.
A verdict will be heard next month.
Share this article
Popular in UAE
-
Your pictures
Readers' pictures
A Selection of the best Gulf News reader pictures this week
Latest news
- Khalifa orders allocation of plots to UAE nationals
- Abu Dhabi issues traffic safety guidelines for Eid
- Al Qasba celebrates Eid Al Adha with family activities
- Free parking for nine days in the capital
- DEWA opening hours during Eid
- Kuwaiti Emir invites Khalifa to Arab summit
- UAE Haj pilgrims safe and well: official
- Briton loses libel case against newspaper
- Activities lined up for Eid holidays in Dubai parks
- Malaysian woman jailed for forging cards
- Schools mark National Day with shows
- Munching on a health hazard
- Wag a tail
- SAT wiz: Top of the class
- Sharjah housemaid packed off
