UAE

Australian woman breaks down in tears after being cleared of drug charges in Dubai court

'It is over — you are innocent,' a policewoman told AH, 28, who gave a loud sigh of relief before she started crying at Dubai Criminal Court on Monday.

Salam Al Amir
Salam Al Amir

June 16, 2014

DUBAI // An Australian woman who was acquitted of possessing hashish cried when told the verdict.

“It is over — you are innocent,” a policewoman told AH, 28, who gave a loud sigh of relief before she started crying at Dubai Criminal Court on Monday.

AH and Egyptian SR, 27, were both charged with possessing drugs to use, while SR was charged with consuming drugs.

SR was jailed for four years to be followed by deportation.

The Australian denied the charges at the court last April and said the drugs belonged to SR who backed up her claim when he confessed to all charges.

Prosecutors said the two were arrested on January 10 after police received a tip about AH for using drugs.

Records said AH was caught with 15.47 grams of hashish, while SR was found with 2.99 grams.

“At 6:45am we headed to her apartment at the [Dubai] Marina where one of the building’s security helped us into the flat. The policewoman searched her but found nothing. Then we asked her to empty her purse and when she did, we found the hashish in a small box,” a policeman TM, told the court.

He added that she said SR, who was at her apartment at the time of arrest, gave her the drugs to keep in her purse.

“He denied at first but then confessed that he gave it to her when he was helping her carry two large bags when they came into her apartment,” added TM.

salamir@thenational.ae

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