Dubai: A jobless man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for possessing 3.2gm of marijuana that he tried to sell to a police informant for Dh300.
Drug enforcement officers apprehended the 30-year-old Nigerian man, T.E., during a sting operation in Al Nakheel area where at first he refused to hand over the marijuana to the informant for Dh300 and increased the price to Dh4,00 in December 2014.
A 35-year-old Nigerian man, C.J., was also apprehended from T.E.’s residence when drug officers went to search the house for more drugs at 10.20pm.
The Dubai Court of First Instance jailed T.E. for life for possessing marijuana for trading purposes.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal acquitted C.J. of possessing drugs for trading purposes. He was also acquitted of possessing 4gm of marijuana.
According to Tuesday’s ruling, T.E. will be deported after serving his jail sentence.
T.E. had admitted that he possessed the drugs for his personal consumption and not for trading, while C.J. pleaded not guilty of possessing any drug.
An antinarcotics police corporal testified that an informant alerted them that T.E. was looking for someone to buy marijuana for Dh300.
“Police tasked the informant to contact the defendant and pose as a buyer. The informant and the defendant agreed to meet up in Al Nakheel area and provided him with police money as part of the sting operation. When the defendant arrived in the location, he refused to hand over the drugs to the informant and demanded Dh400. The informant negotiated with T.E. and convinced him to settle for Dh300.
“Police raided the spot and apprehended the defendant once the deal was sealed. Police money was found in his pocket … he admitted that he sold the marijuana to the informant. Then we accompanied him to his residence to search if he had more drugs hidden there. Prosecutors warrant also entitled police to apprehend T.E. or any suspect that could be involved. Police also arrested C.J. who happened to be present at the residence when we arrived there … he seemed in an abnormal state,” testified the corporal.
An antinarcotics police lieutenant said two more pieces of marijuana weighing 4gm were found at T.E.’s residence when we searched it.
The court-appointed defence lawyers argued that their clients did not possess the drugs for trading purposes.
Lawyers also asked the presiding judge to acquit their clients because procedures were enforced unlawfully against them.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
