Dubai: A woman visitor has been accused of cursing Islam while she was intoxicated and insulting two policemen, who attended to her complaint when someone cut the strap of her handbag.
An Emirati policeman testified that the 28-year-old Dutch woman, L.M. insulted him and his colleague and cursed their religion [Islam] shortly after they attended to her complaint at around 3am on February 4.
Prosecutors accused L.M. of insulting two policemen on duty and cursing a religion. She was also charged with consuming liquor.
“Yes, I consumed liquor, but I did not insult the policemen or curse any religion,” the woman claimed when she appeared before the Dubai Misdemeanour Court.
One of the policemen, M.A., claimed during prosecution questioning: “We received a complaint from a woman who claimed that someone had cut the strap of her handbag in front of a five star hotel on Shaikh Zayed Road. We resolved her problem and, while she was leaving, I heard her cursing our religion. She cursed twice before she turned towards us and spat. Immediately we reported the matter to the duty officer and a policewoman was sent to the scene. The defendant was taken into custody and referred to the Public Prosecution. A smell of alcohol was coming from the woman, who seemed to be drunk.”
The woman was also sent to Dubai Police’s criminal laboratory to test the level of alcohol in her system.
A judgement will be heard on April 16.
