DUBAI// Four people, convicted of causing the death of an Emirati man and injuring three others at Global Village in Dubai in 2013, have failed in their second appeal against a court ruling ordering them to pay Dh200,000 in blood money to the dead man’s family.
On January 24, 2013, Abdullah Mohammed Rashid Al Habsi, 37, a soldier in the Armed Forces, died after he was struck by a panel that fell off a Ferris wheel while he was visiting the fairground with friends.
Three Asian men, RK, RM, and LK, were also injured. Two of the men recovered while LK was left with a 5 per cent permanent disability, the nature of which was not detailed in court records.
Following police and prosecution investigations, SB, 24, an Egyptian ride operator, DJ, a 57-year-old British manager, FA, 47, a businessman from Belize and MS, a 54-year-old British consultant, were referred to the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours to face a charge of wrongfully causing the death of a man and injury to three others by failing to perform their duties properly.
Dubai Municipality safety inspector MJ, 33, testified at an earlier hearing that he was given the panel by a worker at the games area in Global village.
“I checked all the panels thoroughly and the one that caused the accident was different from the other panels in the Ferris wheel and it was covered with rust,” said MJ, who prepared a report about the accident and presented it to prosecution.
Prosecutors said SB, DJ, FA, and MS were negligent as they had not followed safety procedures. They all denied charges in court in May last year but were found guilty and were convicted.
The court sentenced MS to three months in jail, suspended, and fined each defendant Dh10,000 but suspended payment.
SB, DJ, FA, and MS were ordered to jointly pay Dh200,000 in blood money to the family of the deceased man.
They appealed the verdict but lost after the court upheld their sentences.
They appealed for a second time with the Court of Cassation but lost again after the court upheld the original sentences once more.
The Court of Cassation’s ruling is final and no more appeals are permitted.
salamir@thenational.ae
