Student dies of drug overdose in UAE; friends sent to 5 years in jail

Abu Dhabi - Medical tests revealed that the young man had consumed a lot of drugs, which affected his brains and lungs.

A 19-year-old university student, who had apparently left his home to stay with his friends to prepare for the exams, had died of drug overdose, an Abu Dhabi court has heard.
Court documents stated that the young man, requested his father to allow him stay with his friends - the defendants in the case - who rent out an apartment not far away from the university to prepare for the exams.
The Emirati father accepted his son's request and also provided him with all the necessary financial support so that he could concentrate and perform well in the exams.
However, the father didn't try to inquire about his son and didn't bother to monitor his son or check the place, where he had gone to stay, on the assumption that he was now a grown up, according to prosecutors.
And on the day of the fateful day, a local hospital phoned the father informing him that his son had been brought to the hospital by his friends in a serious condition and died a few minutes after being admitted to the ICU. Receiving the shocking news, the father collapsed but his condition got better after treatment.
How the death happened
A medical report stated that the young man had consumed a lot of heroin and other drugs that caused his death.
Police investigations showed that the victim had consumed drugs including heroin, morphine and others with a group of four other students in the apartment during the night.
The young men left the victim in the house and went for an outing. And when they returned the following morning, they found the victim lying on the ground motionless.
The young men allegedly tried to revive their friend by pouring water on his body but in vain.
"They then rushed him to a nearby hospital and when the doctors asked them what happened to him, they denied knowing anything," said prosecutors.
"Medical tests later revealed that the young man had consumed a lot of drugs, which affected his brains and lungs and causing his death."
Four charged
Prosecutors had charged the four students with causing death of their friend through facilitating him with drugs, consuming and possessing drugs.
The young men had admitted to consuming drugs with the victim, however, denied causing death of the victim.
The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance had earlier sentenced them to seven years in jail. The court also fined each of them Dh120,000 for facilitating the victim with drugs and for drug possession.
The young men challenged the ruling to the appeal court, which reduced their jail sentences to five years.
They went to Abu Dhabi Cessation Court, which rejected their appeal and upheld the appeal court verdict.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com
 

• Abu Dhabi