Abu Dhabi: The General Prosecution has handed out community service to five men — four Emiratis and a citizen of another Gulf country — separately on different charges, including reckless driving and endangering their lives and that of other people, a statement said on Thursday.
Two men were ordered to do landscaping and maintenance of public parks, two others to clean roads and squares, while the fifth man was ordered to fill cars at petrol stations.
In the first case, an Emirati man was sentenced to three months of community service after he was found guilty of reckless driving, and failing to obey police orders.
Public parks and gardens
The General Prosecution has ordered the man to clean and maintain public parks and gardens in Abu Dhabi.
The man was also ordered to pay Dh16,000 in fine for driving a car without a number plate, without a driving licence, without permission from the car’s owner and causing noise pollution on the public roads.
In the second case, two Emiratis and a citizen of a Gulf country were ordered to two months of community service each after being found guilty of reckless driving and endangering people’s lives.
The first defendant had his driving licence suspended for a year.
In the third case, a young Emirati man was sentenced to a month of community service and Dh500 fine for driving a car without a number plate and causing noise pollution.
His driving licence was also suspended for three months
Verdicts
The verdicts were handed down by Al Dhafra Criminal Court, which also called for monitoring reports to check whether the men were following their community service duties.
Community service has become a more common response to petty crimes across the country now that the penal code has been updated.
The code was amended last year, but each emirate is still drawing up plans to implement the amendments so, in the meantime, orders will come from the Ruler of the emirate.
Community service punishments were specified under the 1976 law.
They included a spell in a rehabilitation centre, compulsory community service or vocational training and ban on visiting specific places or engaging in certain activities.
