'Taxi driver hit me first', says man in UAE court accused of assault

Man accused of assaulting taxi driver tells court he was hit first as the judge gives the pair gave the pair until May 27 to reconcile.

ABU DHABI // A passenger hit a taxi driver so hard he needed eye surgery that cost Dh9,000, the Criminal Court heard today.

The taxi driver, a Pakistani, said the Arab passenger hit him three times on the right side of his face, but the passenger insisted in court that the driver hit him first.

Court records did not elaborate on the reason for the fight.

The judge gave the pair until May 27 to reconcile.