Man denies knowing hashish was in friend's medwakh, Abu Dhabi court told

A car valet claims he was unaware the medwakh he was smoking contained hashish.

ABU DHABI // A judicial department car valet sentenced to four years in prison and deportation for consuming hashish did so unknowingly as he smoked his friend's medwakh, the Appeals Court heard today.

Three lawyers, who volunteered to defend KS, from Egypt, for free, told the court that the verdict was unjust as his friend had testified that the medwakh was his and that KS was unaware it contained hashish when he smoked it.

Fayza Moussa, the first lawyer, argued the police investigations were inadequate, while a second lawyer presented the court with a letter of good behaviour from the man's employer, and the third lawyer Nashwa Al Kubaissy, told the court that urine samples showing the drug's presence were "vague".

"It doesn't specify the percentage, it could have been less than the minimum amount for the charge," she said.

But Chief Justice Dr Khairi Al Kabbash, appeared unimpressed, asking the man why he smoked his friend's medwakh in the first place.

"Why would you take it from the mouth of your friend? To forget?"

The man said he usually smokes cigarettes and medwakh, but had no idea that his friend, who he had known for a year, smoked hashish.

"Why do you smoke in the first place? For entertainment? Isn't it better for you to go and pray when you are bored?" lectured the judge. "You deserve this for smoking medwakh."

A verdict is expected on January 21.