Fresh hearing after druggie's death penalty is commuted

Abu Dhabi - He was found guilty of possessing, trafficking and using drugs.

An expat, who was convicted of dealing and consuming marijuana and other psychotropic drugs, will have his case heard again by the appeal court.
The Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi cancelled an earlier ruling by the Appeal Court, which had commuted the death penalty handed to the Arab man by a lower court, to life imprisonment. He was found guilty of possessing, trafficking and using drugs.
Official court documents stated that the police in a northern emirate had arrested the man. Authorities also seized a huge amount of drugs from the Arab man. A forensic report revealed that the man had consumed drugs.
Prosecutors had charged him with drug possession, using drugs and promoting them in the country. The Arab man had admitted to possessing drugs, stressing that it was only for personal use. He denied promoting the marijuana in the UAE.
The court of first instance had sentenced the man to death and fined him Dh40,000. The convict then appealed the verdict, after which the appellate court commuted his death sentence. The prosecution and the convict then appealed this ruling at the UAE's top court, which ordered the appellate court to hear the case afresh.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi