Policeman denies assaulting man with sword at street crossing

Dubai: A worker was seriously injured when a policeman attacked him with a sword after he and his friend asked the officer to reduce his speed to cross the street.

Witnesses said the two Filipino workers were crossing the road when they asked the 21-year-old Emirati policeman to reduce his speed. The policeman reportedly pulled over, jumped out of his car and attacked a 41-year-old worker with a sword, alleged some bystanders who spotted the incident in Satwa.

"I didn't attack the victim with a sword... nothing of that sort happened. I am not guilty," the policeman told the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.

The Public Prosecution charged the suspect, S.F., with leaving the worker, J.P., with 20 per cent permanent disability when he stabbed him twice and escaped. Paramedics rushed J.P. to hospital where he was treated for severe and deep wounds to his head and thigh.

"My friend and I were walking around 11.30pm. We reached a point where we wanted to cross the road. My friend gestured to the policeman to reduce his speed. The suspect stopped and came out of his car, attacked me without saying anything and disappeared," the alleged victim testified.

In the dock: Under trial for threats

A student is facing trial for disparaging and threatening to kill three customs inspectors if they searched his luggage.

The Public Prosecution charged the 21-year-old Syrian student with threatening to kill and harm the three Emirati government employees, who were attending their job, with permanent disabilities. He was additionally charged with cursing, belittling and insulting the customs inspectors, A.S., M.A. and Y.M.

Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir locked up the suspect, A.M., for a short while because he showed up late to the Dubai Court of First Instance. The suspect who denied his charges and pleaded innocent was later granted bail.