Al Wahda striker gets two-month jail term

Al Wahda Club football striker, Modibo Kane Diarra, Ivory Coast nationality was awarded two months suspended jail term by the Dubai Misdemeanours Court for the accusation of assaulting a policeman upon his arrival at the airport. Diarra has denied the accusation in a previous hearing before the court: “I am not guilty.. I did not fight with the policeman but it was just a little push… the situation has been exaggerated,” Diarra told the court. In addition to assaulting a public employee (policeman), Diarra is also being prosecuted for consuming alcohol to which he has confessed. The incident happened when the policeman went to resolve a dispute between Diara and an Indian parking inspector, who claimed that the suspect tried to assault him, testified the policeman. Diarra’s defence lawyer Saeed Al Ghailani, in the previous hearing, defended that the heated argument erupted between the two when the policeman tried to take him into a detention room at the airport handcuffed. The famous footballer refused to be taken into the detention room because he was afraid about his career's future. He was just trying to finish the problem without damaging his reputation and profession, said Al Ghailani. “My client did not have any criminal intentions against the policeman, but has just pushed him. Being a famous footballer he was afraid of ruining his future and fame. He did not want the situation to escalate,” said Al Ghailani. The policeman has dropped his right and submitted a written waiver to the court. In light of the waiver, the lawyer asked the court for leniency and clemency. The Misdemeanour Court awarded Diarra a suspended 2 months in jail term.