Dubai: A driver has been jailed for six months for offering Dh500 in bribe to a Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) inspector who caught him carpooling.
The 41-year-old Pakistani driver, B.J., offered a bribe to the RTA inspector after he was caught carpooling in front of a hotel in Dubai in November.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted B.J. of offering a bribe and decided that the bribe money [Dh500] will be confiscated.
“The accused will be deported following the completion of his punishment,” said presiding judge Mohammad Jamal in courtroom three on Sunday.
When asked in court if he offered a bribe to the inspector, the defendant replied: “I was scared because the inspector caught me carpooling. I was afraid that he might fine me Dh10,000 and that’s why I offered him Dh500. I did not want to be booked.”
The Emirati inspector said B.J. was spotted carpooling in front of a hotel in Mankhool area.
“I suspected that he did not have a licence to pick up passengers. My colleague and I chased him for three minutes. Then we asked him to stop when he pulled over in front of another hotel. We asked the three passengers who were present what they were doing in the car. The passengers said the defendant had agreed to take them to Deira for money. I took B.J.’s licence and went to my car in order to issue him a ticket. He came to my window and placed Dh500 on the passenger seat while I was writing the fine. He told me to take the money and not book him. RTA records said it was his third carpooling ticket. He had paid the first two tickets,” said the inspector.
The defendant was arrested shortly after the RTA inspector reported the matter to the police.
Sunday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
