Man to be jailed instead of fined for indecent act in Dubai

Mohammed Yaseen, Staff Reporter

The Dubai Court of Appeal revoked a verdict issued by the Court of Misdemeanors, fining a European Dhs20,000 for committing an immoral act. The court rescinded the fine and ruled that the defendant be sentenced to one month in jail with stay of execution for three years.

Earlier, the defendant raised his middle finger after a vehicle driven by a Gulf woman swerved while he was driving a vehicle near a shopping mall in Al Barsha area.

The case dated back to August last year when a Gulf woman reported to the police that a European raised his hands and making obscene gestures while driving her vehicle near the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai.

According to her statement, while she was driving, she discovered that her vehicle was running out of fuel, so she searched for the nearest petrol station using GPS.

The woman stated in the interrogations that after she found a nearby petrol station, she had to swerve to reach the last exit on the street but was surprised by the defendant chasing her and using the horn continuously.

She looked to see what was happening when she noticed the defendant raising his hand and making obscene gestures, she added.

A policeman stated that he summoned the suspect, 57, for interrogation who confessed to the charges, pleading that he did so because the woman swerved abruptly to where he was driving his rented vehicle, putting his life in jeopardy.

The defendant, however, denied the charge before the public prosecution.