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29 March 2024

Hearing in drugs case adjourned

The seven defendants, who were in custody before the trial, attended yesterday's session. (EB FILE)

Published
By Mohammed Elsidafy

The Dubai Criminal Court yesterday decided to adjourn to January 19 the trial of seven UAE nationals accused of possessing five kilogrammes of hashish, in order to hear the testimony of anti-narcotics officers who followed up the case and arrested the defendants.

The seven defendants, who were in custody before the trial, attended yesterday's session. They are AY, 22; SM, 35; AB, 28; AA, 24; and MS, NS, and SS, all 25.

They protested their imprisonment over the last 10 months and asked to talk to the court.

But the presiding judge told them the prosecution witnesses would be examined before hearing them and their lawyers. The defendants had admitted possessing the drugs in an earlier hearing but said they had the drugs for personal use.

The case dates back to April last year when the Anti-Narcotics Department received information revealing defendant SM possessed a quantity of hashish and was due to sell it to another person.

First Lieutenant Abdullah Hussein Lootah, an officer in the department, said in his testimony that SM was followed and a trap was prepared to catch him red-handed. SM was caught while handing over the drugs to defendant NS. Defendants AB and AA were sitting with him in a car.

Another officer in the department said he arrested SM and found Dh40,000 in his possession, which was obtained from the sale of the drugs, along with more money and drug tablets.


Other cases
- A trader yesterday denied threatening to kill a woman if she did not agree to marry him.

Algerian AI, 35, told Dubai Criminal Court that it was the woman who had wanted to marry him – and he said she had threatened to kill him if he did not do so. The case was adjourned until January 19 when a verdict is expected.

- Emirati lawyer MS, 43, was yesterday cleared of threatening a 44-year-old Emirati housewife.

The public prosecution had told Dubai Criminal Court that the defendant phoned the alleged victim and told her he would "cut the tongue" of anyone who mistreated his fiancée.

 

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