2 years jail for fire at Dubai station

A prisoner who abused, assaulted and threatened a policeman before setting fire to the detention centre, endangering the lives of inmates and causing damages, received two years in jail.

The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance also ordered AA, 29, to pay Dh25,350 for damages he caused in the detention centre.

According to the records, on March 13, at around 10pm, Corporal Mohammed Sultan, 26, who was on duty at Rashidiya police station, noticed that the security camera in ward No.2 was covered with wet tissue paper.

“When I noticed it, AA, one of the detainees, called me. I went up to him and he asked me to allow him to roam around the wards. As it is against the rules, I told him that I cannot do that. He spat in my face and abused my mother. I left the place quickly to prevent aggravation of the matter,” said the policeman.

While the policeman was moving away, AA threatened to set fire to the detention centre.

“I informed the officer on duty and then went to the control room and removed the tissue paper which covered the camera in the ward where AA was. I saw him setting fire to a paper using a cigarette lighter after he had removed the tissue paper. He also pointed the lighter at the camera and then brought a sponge mattress and tried to burn it. An inmate tried to prevent him from doing it,” said the policeman.

At this time, one of the detainees covered the camera again. A few minutes later, smoke and fire came out of the ward. Policemen informed Civil Defence and vacated the ward which had 90 detainees including the accused.

The accused was holding a steel rod with which he attacked the policeman who was in the control room with other staff and threatened Corporal Sultan to kill him and disfigure his face.  He also broke the glass wall of the control room. However, policemen controlled him andpulled him to the yard where all detainees were taken to.

Other policemen repeated corroborative testimonies. Camera footage showed the accused hitting with his hand and kicking the glass wall of the control room. It also showed policemen trying to control him. Another camera captured policemen trying to put out the fire before Civil Defence fire fighters arrived.

Police estimated the damages at Dh25,530.  The records did not mention how his accomplice managed to run away.

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