Dubai: A fast-food deliveryman has been jailed for four months for assaulting and insulting two policemen and tearing uniform of one of them when they tried to arrest him for theft.
Police were alerted about a theft case at a restaurant’s labour accommodation in January in Al Quoz.
The complainant told policemen that he suspected his 23-year-old Egyptian co-worker’s involvement in the theft.
When the policemen approached the suspect to quiz him, he was found to be under the influence of liquor on which he was apprehended and put in the police patrol vehicle. When a policeman prevented him from lighting a cigarette inside the police vehicle, he turned rowdy and yelled at the policeman.
He assaulted and insulted the policeman and tore his uniform when he tried to handcuff him.
On Monday, the Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced the defendant for a month in jail for drinking liquor and three months for assaulting and insulting two policemen and tearing the uniform of one of them.
When the accused appeared in court, he pleaded guilty to drinking liquor.
“I did not assault the policemen, but yes I cursed them after they had cursed me. They beat me and insulted me first,” he argued in court.
According to the primary ruling, presiding judge Urfan Omar said the accused will be deported following the completion of his punishment.
One of the policemen said the incident happened when they went to investigate a theft complaint at the labour accommodation at 1.30am.
“When we quizzed the suspect, we found him to be drunk and put him in the police car. When my colleague prevented him from smoking in the police car, he got angry and acted rowdily. He cursed and assaulted us and tore my colleague’s uniform when we tried to handcuff him. He punched me and resisted arrest,” the policeman said.
The other policeman confirmed his colleague’s statement and said they restrained the accused and took him into custody.
The ruling remains subject to appeal.
