Policeman who took phone recharge bribes to arrest visa violators loses appeal

A policeman who made arrests on demand in return for Dh600 worth of mobile phone recharge cards will have to see out his prison term.

Prosecutors said that the 27-year-old Emirati accepted bribes from a Bangladeshi co-accused, 27, both of whom denied charges against them at Dubai Criminal Court in April.
The officer's duties included arresting residency rule violators and he was stationed at Global Village, where he took bribes from his co-accused on January 9 and before that date.
He was approached by the Bangladeshi defendant and asked to arrest three people for absconding then refer them to the residency department. He was also asked to make sure they were deported.
A police lieutenant testified that he investigated the information they received about the defendants, after which the Bangladeshi accused was arrested.

"He confessed to everything willingly then helped us arrest the officer red-handed after arranging to meet with him and hand him a new bribe," said the lieutenant.
Prosecutors provided the court with a three-page transcript of a phone conversation between the two defendants in which they were striking a new agreement regarding the arrest of someone. The policeman was specifically asking for du phone credit in return. 
"During questioning, he told us that what he did was legal. He was arresting violators and absconders and his procedures were completely legal," added the lieutenant.
Both men were convicted and sentenced to six months in jail each and fined Dh5,000 each. They appealed but lost. The Bangladeshi will be deported after serving his term.

Read more: Dubai Policeman ‘took bribes to arrest specific residency offenders’