Dubai policeman convicted of asking motorist for bribe has sentence upheld

Omani A A, 24, was found guilty of seeking and accepting bribes by the Dubai Criminal Court and sentenced to six months in jail and fined Dh3,000.

DUBAI // A policeman convicted of asking a motorist for a Dh3,000 bribe in return for not issuing a ticket and confiscating his car for an illegal U-turn has had his sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal

Omani A A, 24, was found guilty of seeking and accepting bribes by Dubai Criminal Court and sentenced to six months in jail and fined Dh3,000.

Emirates Airline pilot R D, 32, said that on June 22 last year he was driving his Porsche Carrera near Mall of the Emirates when he made an illegal turn.

“A police patrol followed me then stopped me,” said the Briton. “The officer asked for my licence and registration. He told me that I made a grave mistake that could have landed me in a traffic accident.”

The pilot said A A told him that this offence would earn him a fine of between Dh2,500 and Dh3,000 and his car would be seized for a month.

“He told me he will seize the car then asked me to wait until he talked to his partner,” said R D. “He then returned and gave me back my documents but asked for my mobile number. He called later and asked for the Dh2,500 in order not to seize the car.”

R D said A A called again, this time asking for Dh3,000. R D asked his friends whether requests like this were legal, when they said it was not he reported A A at Bur Dubai police station.

“My friends checked the offence online and found it was only a Dh450 fine and that he exaggerated the amount and spoke of car confiscation, so he scared me into accepting his offer,” said R D.

Police told R D not to answer calls from the officer until a warrant was obtained.

“While I was with a police officer heading to the criminal investigations department, the defendant called me 10 times,” the pilot said.

A A denied the charge. However, the court disagreed and he was jailed and will be deported after completing the sentence.