UAE | Crime
Intoxicated waiter denies stripping at beach
A waiter has strongly denied removing all his clothes at the beach when he was under the influence of liquor, a court heard on Thursday.
- By Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter
- Published: 22:48 July 2, 2009
Dubai: A waiter has strongly denied removing all his clothes at the beach when he was under the influence of liquor, a court heard on Thursday.
"I did consume alcohol& but honestly I didn't remove my clothes. I was wearing my swimsuit at the beach when the incident happened," the Egyptian waiter, M.H., told Presiding Judge Aysar Fouad at the Dubai Misdemeanours Court of Appeal.
When the defendant, in his mid-20s, appeared before the Appeal Court, he pleaded guilty for consuming liquor but refuted the charge of indecently gesturing in public.
Last April, the Dubai Misdemeanours Court sentenced M.H. to three months in jail for making an indecent gesture in public when he stripped in front of an Asian man at Al Mamzar beach. He was fined Dh1,000 for being drunk.
The Public Prosecution charged the accused with consuming liquor and indecently gesturing in public. He was additionally charged with assaulting and cursing the Asian man.
However, the Dubai Misdemeanours Court dropped the assault and cursing charges after the complaint was waived.
M.H. appealed the primary verdict during yesterday's hearing, and his lawyer asked Presiding Judge Fouad to acquit his client or grant him a lenient punishment.
The accused also presented two defence witnesses.
M.H.'s workmate, a 24-year-old Filipina waitress told the Appeals Court: "We were spending a day at the beachside& I saw him in the swimsuit - he wasn't naked."
The second defence witness, a 39-year-old Indian bartender told Presiding Judge Fouad: "I was at the beachside& I saw M.H. wearing an T-shirt and trousers when he quarrelled with the claimant. He wasn't naked."
Meanwhile, M.H.'s lawyer argued that his client didn't make an indecent gesture in public. "The arraignment sheet lacked any material evidence concerning the charge of public indecency. Besides, the claimant waived his complaint. We ask the court to pronounce him innocent or treat him with leniency," argued the lawyer.
The appeals verdict will be heard next week.
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