Man handed jail term for bribery bid after being caught without face mask by Dubai Police officer

The 24-year-old Indian defendant left his Dubai residence without a permit and a face mask.

A court ordered the Legal Affairs Department in Dubai to refund Dh20 to a lawyer. The National

A man who attempted to bribe a Dubai Police officer who caught him out in public without a face mask has been handed a three-month jail term.

The 24-year-old Indian citizen offered the policeman Dh2,000 and promised another Dh1,000 payment if he avoided punishment.

The offender was stopped by the patrolling officer in Jebel Ali on April 29.

He did not have a movement permit, which was required to leave the home as part of safety measures in place in the emirate at the time.

Only those working in vital sectors were exempt from the restrictions.

“I was patrolling Jebel Ali when I saw him [the defendant] along with a woman outside a hotel,” said the officer.

The officer stopped them and found neither were wearing masks or had permits.

“He told me he stepped out of the hotel to collect a massage therapist,” said the officer.

The man offered the pay-off after being taken to a police station for questioning.

“He offered Dh2,000 on the spot and promised another Dh1,000 later,” said the officer.

At Dubai Criminal Court last month, the man denied a charge of offering a bribe to a policeman on duty.

He was convicted and sentenced to three months in prison to be followed by deportation at a hearing on Monday.

He was also fined Dh5,000.