Heroin and morphine charge man tells Dubai judge he has schizophrenia

Unemployed Emirati was found to have drugs in his kandura and wallet.

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DUBAI // A defendant accused of possessing and consuming drugs responded to charges at the Criminal Court with the words "they say so," referring to prosecutors.

Unemployed Emirati SM, 44, was charged with possessing 0.341 grams of heroin as well as consuming morphine and other types of drugs.

"I have medical reports from a government hospital confirming that I suffer from schizophrenia and constant depression," said the defendant to the presiding judge today.

He had repeated the words "they say so" in response to every question asked by the judge.

The man said prosecutors should have taken the reports he presented to them into consideration. "I was once charged with drug peddling but I was acquitted because of these reports and the fact that I am not aware of what I do," said the man.

"Your honour, those detained on drug charges must be medicated rather than imprisoned for four years.

"I suggest that you visit Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and suggest that, for the sake of saving the lives of drug addicts, that procedures be enhanced," he said to the judge.

SM told the judge that other detainees had spoken highly of him. "They said you are a good and just judge, so I felt optimistic," he said.

"If I made a mistake then I seek the earthly punishment; better that than in the doom's day because those that God loves, he punishes on earth to clean them from sins when they meet him."

The defendant was arrested on February 9 after a tip-off to police. Drugs were found in his kandura and wallet, police said.

The next hearing will be on August 5, to allow time for the court to look into the defendant's alleged illnesses.

salamir@thenational.ae