ABU DHABI // Defence lawyers for two men charged with cocaine trafficking argued that the defendants should be acquitted because police did not follow correct procedures in arresting them.
MK and HA, both from Tanzania, appeared in the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance charged with trafficking more than one kilogram of cocaine into the country on May 12. They are also charged with possession and consumption of the drug.
They were caught in a police trap after the Abu Dhabi Criminal Department was tipped that the two defendants were "running a network of drug trafficking", prosecutors said. A CID officer, according to court documents, posed as a customer and the men were arrested after selling the drug, which was carried in a suitcase.
Prosecutors say MK confessed to the police he had brought the drug into the country and took drugs himself, but he told the court last week he only delivered them. HA confessed to the police he possessed and trafficked the drug, prosecutors say. But HA denied this in the court.
The two defence lawyers said yesterday the police sting that caught their clients was flawed and unauthorised.
According to UAE law, an arrest made without a clearance from the Public Prosecution is considered invalid, and any evidence based on that arrest is not admissible in court.
A confession by defendants is separate and can alternatively be used for conviction.
The public prosecution clearance, seen by The National, permitted the police to arrest HA in his room at a hotel in Abu Dhabi with every person involved with him. Only one raid was authorised, and it was to be made within 24 hours, the clearance said. The clearance was signed at 2.45pm in Khalifa City A; the raid was made at 4pm on the same day, May 13, according to court documents.
Lawyers argued that police could not possibly have been given clearance at Khalifa City A, returned to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, where a signature from the Public Prosecution office was needed, set up cameras inside the hotel and then made the arrest all within 1hr 15mins.
The lawyers also argued that prosecutors gave clearance to the police to make the raid in a certain room in a certain hotel, but the raid was made in a different hotel at a different room number. "This shows both the investigation and the clearance were flawed, and, therefore, the arrest and the inspection should be annulled," MK's lawyer said.
@Email:hhassan@thenational.ae
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Chef Nobu's advice for eating sushi
“One mistake people always make is adding extra wasabi. There is no need for this, because it should already be there between the rice and the fish.
“When eating nigiri, you must dip the fish – not the rice – in soy sauce, otherwise the rice will collapse. Also, don’t use too much soy sauce or it will make you thirsty. For sushi rolls, dip a little of the rice-covered roll lightly in soy sauce and eat in one bite.
“Chopsticks are acceptable, but really, I recommend using your fingers for sushi. Do use chopsticks for sashimi, though.
“The ginger should be eaten separately as a palette cleanser and used to clear the mouth when switching between different pieces of fish.”
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
