Dubai: A student who accused his female colleague of being a prostitute has been sentenced to one month in jail followed by deportation.
Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad of the Dubai Court of Misdemeanour sentenced the 22-year-old student H.A. to one month followed by deportation, in absentia, after he was found guilty of defamation.
H.A.'s lawyer Hamdan Al Harmi, of Hamdan Al Harmi Advocates and Legal Consultants, contested the ruling and is seeking a retrial after his client got caught.
"According to article 229 of the Criminal Procedures Law, a suspect has the right to contest any verdict issued against him or her in absentia within seven days of being legally notified about the outcome," said Al Harmi. The Public Prosecution charged the suspect with cursing and defaming his compatriot, S.F., in front of her college mates.
His girlfriend
Court records said the two students study at one of Dubai's leading universities. The girl complained to the police that H.A. defamed her before three of her colleagues and claimed that she was his girlfriend. He also called her a prostitute.
Police then referred the case to court and the suspect was sentenced in absentia. Police arrested him after the verdict and referred him to the Public Prosecution to execute the punishment before Al Harmi contested the primary verdict. A hearing will be held later this month.
