The driver of a minibus involved in a Dubai accident in which two passengers died and nine others were injured has been cleared of all charges, after a court ruled the incident was beyond his control.
The vehicle's front tyre burst, causing it to veer from its lane and hit a concrete barrier on Sheikh Zayed Road, on July 12, 2020.
Witnesses said the minibus — which was carrying 11 passengers — flipped on its side and was engulfed in flames under Al Manara Bridge.
The Pakistani driver was arrested and charged with causing two wrongful deaths and injuries to nine passengers from India, Italy, Philippines, Egypt, Kurdistan, Morocco, and Kenya.
Initial reports had stated 12 people were injured in the crash, but court records clarified nine were hurt.
Prosecutors said at the time the driver had lost control of the vehicle due to carelessness and not paying attention on the road.
The Dubai Traffic Court convicted the man of the charges and sentenced him to a suspended three-month jail term.
He was fined Dh100,000 and ordered to pay Dh200,000 in blood money to each of the deceased's families.
The court also ordered his deportation and the suspension of his driving licence.
The verdict, however, was subject to appeal.
In May 2021, the Dubai Court of Appeal overturned the initial verdict and acquitted the driver.
Judges based their decision on a technical report by a court-appointed expert who said the accident was caused by force majeure — unforeseeable circumstances beyond the driver’s control.
The report said all the vehicle's wheels were in good condition but one front tyre had cracked and lost pressure after being subjected to an unusual condition on the road, on the day of the accident.
No further details were given in court records on what road conditions had led to the fatal accident.
Prosecutors took the case to the Court of Cassation, the emirate's highest court, requesting a retrial.
They argued against the appeal court's findings, saying they were based only on parts of the technical report and not on other sections they said proved the driver’s liability.
Prosecutors said that the acquittal verdict did not indicate the nature of the force majeure.
Judges rejected the prosecutors' plea last month and upheld the man’s acquittal.
The Cassation Court's verdict is final and not subject to any further appeal.
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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A general guide to how active you are:
Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary
5,000 - 9,999 steps - lightly active
10,000 - 12,500 steps - active
12,500 - highly active
Red flags
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- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
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Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
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Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
