Ras Al Khaimah Court of Appeal cancels deportation, reduces fine in drugs case

Ras Al Khaimah, UAE: The Court of Appeal here has issued a new ruling in the case of a 42-year-old UAE resident, a father of four.

He had been convicted of drug-related offenses. The court upheld his conviction but reduced the total fine and cancelled the deportation order. Other penalties remain.

In the first trial, the Ras Al Khaimah Court of First Instance fined him Dh20,000, suspended his driving license for six months, confiscated his phone, and ordered deportation after serving the sentence.

He was charged with misusing psychotropic substances, including amphetamine and methamphetamine, and driving under their influence.

The court imposed Dh20,000 for drug misuse and Dh5,000 for driving under the influence, along with phone confiscation, license suspension, and deportation, in line with UAE Traffic Federal Law No. 14 of 2024.

Both prosecution and defence appealed.

Prosecutors argued the penalties were too light and sought harsher punishment.

The defence, represented by Hanan Salem Al Shammili’s Law Firm, said the drugs were prescribed to treat anxiety, depression, and stress.

No criminal intent

They claimed he had no criminal intent and that investigators had ignored his medical records.

The Court of Appeal accepted that he had medical issues but rejected the defence's claim that his actions were purely medicinal.

It upheld his conviction, reduced the fine to Dh10,000, and cancelled both the deportation order and the phone confiscation.

However, it kept the suspension of his driving licence and ruled that the Dh5,000 fine for driving under the influence was appropriate.