Man receives year in jail for setting work room on fire

An Algerian was accused of placing stacks of newspapers under the electricity meters before setting them alight, under the influence of alcohol.

ABU DHABI // A man was jailed yesterday for setting fire to an electrical room while he was drunk. MGh, an Algerian, was accused of placing stacks of newspapers under the electricity meters in his building before setting them alight, causing a fire. He was jailed for one year by the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance for starting the fire and causing damage. He was also sentenced to a month in jail for drinking alcohol.

However, he was cleared of entering the country illegally after the court was shown an air ticket proving he had entered legitimately at Dubai International Airport. Prosecutors say he had been in the country on a previous visit, but that his visa had expired. The most recent stamp on his passport was from when he left the country. Prosecutors claimed he had re-entered the country illegally. In previous court hearings, MGh had denied the charge. He said the airport authorities had forgotten to stamp his passport.

The trial had been adjourned four times while the court waited for police officials to add MGh's passport and air ticket to the court records. @Email:[e-mail]