Dubai: A court has jailed a truck driver for three months, on allegations that he bribed an immigration inspector at the Hatta border.
The driver denied the charges, claiming that the money he paid was a penalty for violating the Naturalisation and Residency Law.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 25 year old, accused of paying a Dh950 bribe to an inspector to allow him entry into the country illegally.
Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout said the accused, M.I., will be deported after serving his punishment.
"I didn't bribe him. I thought I paid him the fines for violating the law," argued M.I. when he defended himself in court.
Violations
According to the charge sheet, the defendant bribed the Emirati inspector after the latter informed M.I. he was banned from entering the country for violating the Naturalisation and Residency Law.
"While I was on duty at the Hatta boarders, he came to my counter wanting to enter the UAE ... his iris scan exposed that he had been deported upon a court judgment for his indictment in consensual sex. When I informed him that he was banned from entering the country, he persistently begged me to help him. He said he was willing to pay money.
"When I told him he was blacklisted, he insisted on paying me money to allow him enter. My superiors asked me to accept his offer ... he paid me Dh950 in Omani currency," the inspector told prosecutors.
Records said the defendant was arrested in a sting operation.
