Telephone call drug conviction earns four-year sentence

Man tells court he simply phoned ex-roommates as they were being investigated; his lawyer says the warrants are invalid.

Powered by automated translation

DUBAI // A man was sentenced to four years in prison for drug consumption this morning, although he and his attorney argued the only evidence against him was a phone call to his friends.

The 24-year-old Egyptian MY, a manager at a private company, was convicted by the Criminal Court of First Instance of smoking hashish with his friends on April 22. He said he happened to call them while officers were investigating them.

MORE UAE NEWS: Our pick of today's top local news stories

Last Updated: June 20, 2011

One in four young Emirati men dropping out Almost a quarter of Emirati men aged between 20 and 24 drop out of high school and will never return to education, new study shows. Read

Fuel shortage could be eased Several new Adnoc stations are being built in the Northern Emirates with hopes that at least two will be finished by next month. Read article

Search continues for freediver Family still holds out hope for missing Emirati freediving champion Adel Abu Haliqa while second search is called off almost three weeks after he disappeared. Read article

British presence in Gulf secure, says Fox Largest military spending review in decades to tackle Britain's mountain of debt will not deter government's renewed focus on region.

"I didn't smoke anything, your honour – all that happened is that I called my ex-roommates to say goodbye while the police were with them. Police asked them about my identity, and they arrested me," MY told the court.

His defence lawyer also argued the results of the forensics report were not accurate, and the arrest warrant and inspection warrants were not valid because they were issued after the actual arrest.

"My client has never smoked hashish in his life and he is a reputable man. His only fault was to call his friends," the lawyer told Judge Hamad Abdul Latif.

MY will be deported after serving his prison term.

salamir@thenational.ae