Jealous colleague made up theft charge - pilot

Dubai: An air force captain has accused a colleague of maliciously charging him with stealing his cellphone because he was jealous of his seniority.

The 31-year-old Emirati pilot is being prosecuted for stealing his compatriot's mobile phone from an army base.

The captain pleaded not guilty before the Dubai Court of First Instance and handed a waiver from the complainant to Presiding Judge Saeed Salem Bin Sarm on Tuesday.

"I have served at this army base for a while and the complainant was a newcomer who joined after graduating from the special air forces school... out of his jealousy of me becoming senior to him at the base, he lodged this malicious complaint. I am innocent and didn't steal anything," the suspect told the judge on Tuesday.

Routine flight

The 31-year-old said: "His brother who works for Dubai Police's CID section also helped him lodge this malicious complaint... before he later handed me a written waiver."

The complainant alleged that he flew with the pilot in a routine flight and when they returned to their office he discovered his mobile was missing. He claimed he kept it in a drawer when he went on a routine flight on his own before flying with the 31-year-old suspect.

"He helped me search for the mobile in the office and when we didn't find it he promised to assist me... later my brother helped me track the serial number."

The Public Prosecution also charged a 30-year-old unemployed Emirati man with possessing the stolen phone.