Dubai student who stole deaf man’s phone wins deportation appeal

A student sentenced to three months in jail and deportation after stealing a deaf man’s phone and cash won an appeal against the follow-up deportation sentence.

DUBAI // A student sentenced to three months in jail and deportation for stealing a deaf man’s phone and cash won an appeal against the deportation.

Dubai Court of Appeal upheld the 18-year-old Egyptian’s jail sentence. His accomplice, a 20-year Sudanese man, received the same sentence.

The duo stole a 22-year-old Moroccan man’s phone and Dh500 from his wallet outside a cafe in Riqqa on August 24.

“The Egyptian approached me and asked for a cigarette, which I gave him, and it was then he knew I was deaf,” said the victim. “Then his friend joined. He knew I was deaf so started talking to me using sign language.”

He said the Egyptian told him he had forgotten his phone and asked to borrow his to make a call. The victim said the pair then lead him to a dark street where they attacked him.

“When I tried to defend myself, one of them struck me from behind on my head with a hard object and I fainted,” said the victim.

He regained consciousness shortly afterwards and contacted the police.

The pair were arrested in September.