Drug addict’s plea to be sent to rehab rejected
Defendant jailed for 4 years despite offering the court a medical report saying he was mentally ill
Dubai: A man’s plea to be sent to a rehab centre for treatment from drug addiction went up in flames when a court sentenced him to four years in jail.
The 44-year-old Emirati had denied being in possession of and consuming drugs before he asked the Dubai Court of First Instance to admit him into a rehabilitation centre.
“A public hospital’s medical report confirmed that I am schizophrenic and suffer [from] constant depression. Prosecutors refused to send me to a rehabilitation centre. According to the medical report, I am not responsible for my behaviour. I am a sick man who needs medication. Imprisoning me won’t solve the matter...please send me to a rehab,” pleaded 44-year-old S.M. before the court.
The defendant’s petition was denied on Thursday as the court handed him four years in jail.
The Drugs Prosecution had charged S.M. with possessing heroin and consuming morphine, codeine and other narcotics.
The Emirati stunned the court when he said imprisoning drug addicts was pointless and called on officials and rulers to amend the procedures pertaining to drug suspects.
“Law enforcement procedures have to be improved as drug suspects are sick people who need to be rehabilitated and not jailed. A four-year jail term is pointless...it does not clean a suspect’s system from drugs or hold him/her back from narcotics,” argued the defendant.
S.M. provided the court with a medical report.
“The medical reports clearly confirm that I am not responsible for my behaviour. I am a sick man who needs medication. Imprisoning me won’t solve the matter or spare society from my behaviour. Law enforcement procedures have to be amended and developed. When I was first brought to the court’s detention, detainees told me that you are a good and fair judge. I am sure that you can meet the Ruler and suggest to him that the procedures have to be amended. All drug addicts are suffering inside prisons...jailing them is not going to help them get rid of the evils of drugs,” S.M. told the presiding judge.
The defendant told the court that a few years ago a court acquitted him of possessing and trafficking drugs based on medical reports that confirmed that he is schizophrenic and was not responsible for his actions.
Thursday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
