A beauty contest that turned ugly

Police were called to the first Miss East Africa Dubai beauty contest after the organiser was attacked by an angry spectator. Hundreds of people, mostly Africans, watched as the woman lunged towards Haidar Luwaga towards the end of the show at the Dhow Palace hotel in Bur Dubai.

Witnesses described a tussle between the pair before police officers arrived and led them out of the hotel's Club Submarine. One of the contestants said: "The attacker pulled his coat and pushed him, but nothing serious. She herself called the police to settle the matter." Yesterday, Mr Luwaga said the woman had reacted badly to the result of Saturday's competition. "She came towards me and attacked me. She started beating me and tore my clothes," he said.

However, Col Abdullah al Derai, the director of Al Rifa'a police station, said the altercation was over money, and "solved amicably". "A Ugandan woman, who was sponsoring the event, came into an argument with the organisers and the police were called in," he said. Eva Kisakye, a 25-year-old Ugandan, was crowned the first Miss East Africa Dubai. ykakande@thenational.ae