DUBAI // A man charged with offering a Dh500 bribe to a traffic policeman in return for not receiving a citation after jumping a red light was acquitted by a Dubai court this morning.
Prosecutors said that ES, 39, of Russia, was driving in Al Sofouh area near Al Showifat school when the police officer, HA, 48, spotted him jumping the signal.
HA said he and his colleague followed the Toyota Corolla and stopped it, according to court records.
HA said the defendant had also made an illegal U-turn before the officers stopped him, records show.
When HA was talking to the driver, his colleague was writing the traffic ticket. He added that the defendant was asked to show his ID and driving licence, but instead opened his wallet and took out a Dh500 bill, waving it towards HA, records show.
"Please help me," the defendant said to HA, records show.
HA told prosecutors that he refused to take the money, placed the defendant into the patrol car, and took him to the Bur Dubai police station.
ES denied the charges before the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance. His defence lawyer told the court that his client, who is not aware of UAE laws and does not speak Arabic or English, thought he could pay the fine on the spot to the officer.
The amount of the traffic fine was not listed in court records.
salamir@thenational.ae
