Dubai: Two students were jailed for a month each by the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours on Sunday for breaking a traffic radar that caught them speeding near Dubai Academic City.
The prosecution charged the Palestinian students, 20-year-old K.M. and 18-year-old M.S., with deliberately destroying the radar belonging to the Traffic Department of Dubai Police, and causing damage worth Dh3,900 to it.
Presiding Judge Ali Attiyah Mohammad also ordered them to pay the entire amount for the damage as a fine. M.S. was also sentenced to an extra month for consuming liquor.
Camera
Police reports said the incident happened at around 3am when K.M. was speeding near Dubai Academic City, causing the radar camera to flash. The suspects pulled over and smashed the radar with a rock, destroying it.
According to the charge sheet, M.S. handed the rock to K.M., who repeatedly smashed the radar until he broke it.
The 18-year-old was also charged with consuming three glasses of alcohol at a Dubai hotel.
An Indian eyewitness spotted the incident and reported the matter to the police. The defendants tried to flee but were caught after a short chase. In court, M.S. denied wrecking the radar but confessed to consuming alcohol and asked for clemency. K.M. pleaded guilty.
During questioning by the prosecution, K.M. said: "M.S. and I were in my father's vehicle in the Al Khawaneej area. We had consumed liquor in a hotel and were on our way home.
Intention
"We started stoning the radar for fun. We did not have any intention of damaging it. When the lens broke, I tried to fix it and cut my palm with the broken glass. An Indian man spotted what we did and informed the police."
M.S. confirmed K.M.'s statement when he was questioned by the prosecution.
The judgment can be appealed within 15 days.
