Sentence upheld for Dubai inmate who spat on policeman and set cell on fire

DUBAI // A jobless man who was sentenced to two years in jail for spitting in a policeman’s face before setting his cell on fire because he was not allowed to go for a walk, had his sentence upheld by the Dubai Court of Appeal.

The 28-year-old Emirati, A M, was convicted despite denying a charge of endangering the lives of 90 detainees by setting ablaze Ward 2 of the Al Rashidiya detention centre when he appeared at the Dubai Criminal Court last October.

He was also convicted of damaging the windows of the surveillance camera room, threatening to kill a man, and insulting and assaulting the Emirati policeman.

A M confessed only to insulting the officer and damaging the windows.

On March 13, A M covered up the camera in his ward before starting the fire, the court heard.

“I noticed it [the camera] was covered with wet tissues so I went and saw the defendant. I talked to him and asked him what he wanted,” said policeman M H, 26. “He told me he wanted to have a walk outside the ward. I told him that it was not allowed, so he spat in my face, then insulted and screamed at me.”

M H said that as he left the room, he saw the accused lighting up a tissue then using it to set a mattress on fire. “Someone noticed the camera was not covered any more, so he [the defendant] covered it again and then we saw the smoke coming out of that area,” said the officer.

The detainees were taken from their cells when the fire spread but the defendant emerged carrying an iron bar.

“He looked at me and said that he would find out where I live and disfigure and kill me,” said M H.

A M then smashed the glass windows with the iron bar, causing damage estimated at Dh25,350.

The court ordered him to repay the amount of Dh25,350 to Dubai police, which was upheld by the appeal court as well.