Dubai policeman jailed for driving while under influence of drugs
20-year-old sergeant was stopped for repeatedly honking his horn
Dubai: A police sergeant, who was caught driving under the influence of drugs and impersonated a state security lieutenant when a traffic policeman asked him to stop honking his horn, has been jailed for six months.
The Dubai Court of First Instance found the 20-year-old Emirati sergeant, M.H., guilty of taking hashish and Tramadol and driving his car. He was also found guilty of impersonation.
According to Monday’s judgement, the court granted the defendant a lenient punishment due to his young age (under 21).
Records said M.H. posed as a lieutenant at the State Security when a Dubai policeman asked him to pull over and stop honking his horn loudly.
The defendant pleaded guilty.
The Yemeni traffic policeman said the incident happened when he saw M.H. honking his horn noisily on Khalid Bin Al Walid Street in December 2012.
“There was traffic congestion at one of the junctions. The defendant drove a black car and used his horn in a noisy manner. When I asked him to stop honking his horn, he immediately claimed that he was a lieutenant in the state security. He refused to present an ID card when I asked him to do so. I asked him to pull over for an identity check… we had a heated discussion before he presented his Dubai Police ID. I informed my supervisor and we took him into custody. He acted and spoke strangely… he turned out to be under the influence of drugs,” said the policeman.
Dubai Police’s forensic report confirmed that the defendant tested positive for hashish and Tramadol.
The suspect’s lawyer asked presiding judge Ali Attiyah Sa’ad to hand her client a lenient sentence on the grounds of his young age.
Monday’s verdict remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
