Woman sentenced to 10 years in jail after she threatened UAE police with false rape claim

Accused found guilty of berating RAK Police, insulting the UAE and assaulting officers

French drug lord Moufide ‘Mouf’ Bouchibi was arrested in Dubai last week after evading justice for ten years.  Pawan Singh / The National

A woman was sentenced to 10 years in UAE prison and fined Dh500,000 for insulting the country and Ras Al Khaimah Police, as well as threatening to falsely accuse police officers of rape.

Ras Al Khaimah Criminal Court on Monday found the woman guilty of disrespecting the Emirates and assaulting police officers.

The court heard that the officers went to the Moroccan woman's apartment on February 27, 2020, after her flatmates complained about her erratic behaviour.

The flatmates accused her and her friend of damaging their belongings and assaulting them.

The main suspect pushed the officers and "insulted the UAE" when they questioned her.

“She started insulting the country and the police force. She used very bad language and then snatched my hat,” a policeman said.

Judges were told she removed her clothes and threatened to accuse the officers of rape.

The woman's friend, who was also charged with threatening and insulting police officers, was cleared by the court.

"The flatmates who filed the report did not accuse my client of any wrongdoing," said Emirati lawyer Hanan Salim, who represented the acquitted woman.

“They said she only accompanied the defendant who insulted them and damaged their belongings.

“She walked out of the flat with officers.”

The lawyer said testimonies of the officers proved that her client followed police orders.

But the main accused, whose age was not disclosed, was found guilty.

She was sentenced to another six months in prison for indecency and will be deported after completing her prison sentence.