Translator's absence saves man from going to jail

ABU DHABI — The case of an Iranian national, sentenced to three months in jail and deportation for stealing, forging, and encashing cheques involving two national banks, will be retried.

By Adel Arafah

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Published: Fri 4 Aug 2006, 11:26 AM

Last updated: Sat 4 Apr 2015, 6:00 PM

The Federal Supreme Court ruled that the confessions of the defendant, identified as Jahed Singi, were not taken through a translator thus rendering them null and void.

The Public Prosecution, according to court records, had charged Jahed with stealing cheques from Saeed Al Amimi in May last year, deliberately forging his signature and encashing them from the Union National Bank and the National Bank of Abu Dhabi.

In June last year, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court sentenced him to three months in jail to be followed by deportation for the criminal offence. His petition at the Shariah Criminal Court of Appeal against the verdict was turned down. But he contested the verdict again, arguing that his interrogation by the police and also the public prosecution office was conducted without the assistance of a neutral translator.

The apex court, taking note of this procedural lapse, ordered a retrial. The case has been referred back to the Abu Dhabi Sharia Criminal Court of Appeal and will be taken up by a new bench of judges.


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