UAE: Man fined Dh50,000 for possessing unlicensed pistol that was used in murder

Fujairah: A Dh50,000 fine has been handed to an Emirati man for possessing an unlicensed firearm, which was later stolen and used in a murder of another UAE national.

The Emirati was fined by Fujairah Misdemeanours Court. The verdict regarding the fine was issued by Judge Sheikh bin Dahi.

What’s the background?

In July 2021, a Chinese defendant had stolen the weapon and murdered a UAE citizen in a robbery gone wrong.

Police discovered during their investigation that the Emirati owned the weapon that was stolen by the Chinese man.

The thief broke into the firearm owner’s home at night and stole the weapon, along with other valuables, and later used the stolen weapon to kill the other Emirati.

Last July, the Department of Criminal Investigation at the General Command of Fujairah Police arrested the 31-year-old Chinese man who was involved in the murder of the UAE citizen, who was in his 30s.

Police arrested the culprit within 48 hours of the crime and immediately began their investigations to uncover the circumstances of the crime. The assigned police team analysed the crime scene and lifted evidence and fingerprints from him and the victim’s vehicle.

The team determined the identity of the accused, who was arrested and confessed to his crime.

Day of the murder

During interrogation, he stated that on the day of the incident, he saw the victim’s vehicle parked behind the Eid prayer ground in a dark area.

The vehicle’s engine was running and the man opened the back door of the vehicle and sat in the back seat. He then threatened the victim with the stolen pistol, motivated by theft, but the victim immediately got out of the vehicle, so the offender shot him.

The offender left the bleeding victim and fled the scene, driving away in the victim’s vehicle, and parked it at the seashore in a dark place. He stole his personal belongings and wallet and left the place.

The perpetrator also directed the police officers to the place of hiding of the stolen weapon.

New campaign

On Monday, Mohammad Suhail Saeed Al Neyadi, director-general of Weapons and Hazardous Materials at National Security announced that a new campaign has been launched for Emiratis who own unlicensed weapons. They have been given the opportunity to register their firearms within three months to be exempted from legal accountability.

The initiative aims to help Emiratis legalise their ownership of any kind of weapon or ammunition and avoid legal consequences, provided that they register within the specified period.

The campaign – headed by the Department of Weapons and Hazardous Materials at National Security in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior (MoI) – was announced during a recent press conference at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Follow the law

Al Neyadi reminded citizens that under Federal Decree Law No. 17 of 2019 Concerning Weapons, Ammunition, Explosives, Military Hardware and Hazardous Materials, all such items should be licensed and registered with the authorities concerned.

The new initiative supports the rights of citizens to acquire weapons and ammunition in accordance with the laws of the country, while ensuring that the legal procedures are followed, Al Neyadi said, urging Emiratis to take advantage of the campaign.

Besides registration, the initiative also helps owners dispose of unlicensed weapons or request that they be disabled, through a free electronic service on the MoI’s website and smart app.

“Acquisition of weapons or ammunition has special safety requirements, so we would like to remind citizens of the security guidelines for acquiring a firearm and the security and safety precautions they include for storing them at home or storage or when transporting or using them,” said Colonel Ahmed Saeed Al Mazrouei, acting director of the Directorate of Weapons and Explosives at MoI.

More details about the campaign and the steps involved in registration can be found on the MoI website. Citizens may also follow the initiative’s Instagram page @Aldaraman.ae. The MoI also has designated the toll-free number 8005000 for citizens’ enquiries regarding the procedures for registration.