Dubai: A truck driver, who claimed he unknowingly consumed drugs for the first time in his life after being offered a shisha during a wedding party in Egypt, has landed in court.
Prosecutors accused the 35-year-old Jordanian driver of consuming hashish.
"I consumed hashish outside the UAE. Following the financial global crunch, I went on a four- to five-month long vacation. During that time, I visited some friends in Cairo and attended a wedding party where I was offered shisha. I was unaware that the shisha contained hashish… your honour, only God knows what was in that shisha," the Jordanian, Z.H., pleaded before the Dubai Court of First Instance.
The charge
The Public Prosecution charged Z.H. with consuming tetra-hydro cannabinol (THC), an active component of hashish.
When Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout levelled the charge against Z.H., the latter argued: "Your honour, I have never touched, consumed or seen drugs in my life… I don't even know how it tastes or looks like. The shisha which was served to me contained drugs, but I did not know that. The law enforcement officers stopped me when I came to the UAE from Saudi Arabia."
The defendant pleaded not guilty and told the judge that his passport proved that he had been outside the country.
He also asked the judge to dismiss the case as the crime was committed outside the UAE's jurisdiction. A verdict will be heard next week.
