Man throws petrol on ex-wife in UAE, threatens to set her ablaze

A man, who was high on drugs, allegedly threw petrol on his ex-wife and threatened to set her ablaze when he went to her house to see his children, the court heard.
The Arab man is on trial at the Bani Yas Court of First Instance accused of consuming drugs, endangering the life of his ex-wife by hurling petrol at her and threatening to hurt her further.
The woman filed the police complaint against her ex-husband. 
The Arab man had separated from his ex-wife and custody of the children was granted to the mother.
According to the woman, the man, who had consumed drugs, came to the house where she stays with her two children.
She said her ex-husband then started shouting at everyone in the house. And when she blamed him over his weird behaviour, the man allegedly got some petrol from his car and threw it on her, the woman added.
"He intentionally threw petrol on me and also threatened to set me afire," the woman told the authorities.
Prosecutors charged the man with throwing petrol on his ex-wife, threatening to hurt her and consuming drugs.
The man denied the charges when he appeared in court.
His lawyer said the woman had levelled malicious accusations against his client. He also said the woman made contradictory statements in her testimony about the incident.
According to the lawyer, his client was at his workplace when his children called him and complained to him about some unusual sounds in their home and that they were afraid. The lawyer said the man then went there to ensure that his sons were safe and didn't do anything bad to his ex-wife. He added that his client had been visiting his sons who stay with their mother.
The trial was adjourned until next week.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi