DUBAI // An Australian woman had her not guilty verdict on possessing hashish upheld by Dubai Court of Appeal.

Prosecutors had appealed 28-year-old AH’s verdict given on June 11 despite her friend, Egyptian SR, 27, admitting to being the owner of the drugs.

Police acted on a tip-off about the Australian and the pair were arrested at her apartment on January 10.

When the criminal court issued its not guilty verdict, AH cried and walked out of the courtroom smiling after the verdict was translated to her.

“It’s over, you are innocent,” one of the policewomen was heard telling her.

However, prosecution appealed the sentence.

The Australian and the Egyptian were both charged with possessing drugs, while SR alone charged with consuming drugs.

AH denied the charge at Dubai Criminal Court in April and said the drugs belonged to SR, who backed up her claim when he confessed to all charges.

Prosecution records said AH possessed 15.47 grams of hashish, while SR was found in possession of 2.99 grams of the same substance.

“At 6.45am we headed to her apartment at the [Dubai] Marina where one of the building’s security helped us into the flat and the policewoman searched her but found nothing. Then we asked her to empty her purse and, when she did, we found the hashish in a small box,” testified policeman TM.

He added that she said SR, who was at her apartment at the time of arrest, gave her the drugs to keep in her purse. “He denied at first but then confessed that he gave it to her when he was helping her carry two large bags when they came into her apartment,” said the officer.

SR was convicted and sentenced to four years in jail, to be followed by deportation, a sentence which was also upheld by the appeals court on Thursday.

salamir@thenational.ae