UAE | Crime
No end to Tunisian's plight even after court clears him
A Tunisian visitor, who has already spent six months in prison, has not been released yet - even though a court on August 26, cleared him of charges of trafficking hashish, owing to a lack of evidence.
- By Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter
- Published: 23:54 September 1, 2008
Dubai: A Tunisian visitor, who has already spent six months in prison, has not been released yet - even though a court on August 26, cleared him of charges of trafficking hashish, owing to a lack of evidence.
The man is still in custody.
The Dubai Court of First Instance ruled that the 24-year-old Tunisian visitor was not involved with the drug peddling crime and acquitted him.
His lawyer, Mohammad Al Reda, of Al Reda and Co Advocates and Legal Consultants, told Gulf News: "My client, F.A., promised to call me as soon as he was released, but that has not happened until this morning. He has been in detention since February 23."
Found guilty
Presiding Judge Saeed Salem Bin Sarm, who had pronounced F.A.'s acquittal in chamber nine, sentenced the Tunisian's 30-year-old compatriot, F.K., to life imprisonment after he was found guilty of possessing 42.1 grams of hashish which he tried to sell to an anti-narcotics policeman for Dh3,500.
The Public Prosecution had charged F.K. and F.A. with possessing and trafficking hashish.
F.K., the 30-year-old Tunisian, was also charged with consuming hashish.
He will serve 25 years in jail before he gets deported.
Al Reda explained in his defence that right from the beginning, F.K. had denied F.A.'s involvement in drug peddling.
'Not linked'
"The 30-year-old handed the authorities a letter in which he testified that F.A. was not linked to the case. F.K. mentioned in his letter that F.A. was mistakenly dragged into the case, even though he was unaware of what took place," argued Al Reda before the court.
An anti-narcotics first lieutenant testified: "An informant tipped us off that F.K. was looking for someone to buy a quantity of hashish for Dh3,500. We arrested the 30-year-old and F.A., who was present then, in a sting operation in the Al Rigga area. The drugs were found in F.K.'s possession."
Al Reda said in his defence that F.A. was innocent. "The law enforcement officer based his statement on guesswork and speculation. F.K. confirmed that F.A. was not guilty and was unaware of what happened," Al Reda explained.
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