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UAE supreme court quashes drug dealer's death sentence

Abu Dhabi - The Asian was prosecuted after investigations revealed that he possessed a huge amount of narcotics

A man who was sentenced to death for possessing and dealing drugs will have his case heard again by the appeals court. The Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi cancelled an earlier ruling by the appellate court, which had sentenced the Asian man to death after he was found guilty of trafficking and possessing drugs.
The court also ordered the appeals court to hear the case afresh.
Official court documents stated that the Asian man was prosecuted after investigations revealed that he possessed a huge amount of narcotics. Prosecutors said the man had smuggled the drugs into the country and was selling it.
The Court of First Instance in a northern emirate had sentenced the Asian man to death after he was found guilty of possessing and dealing drugs. The man challenged the ruling at the appellate court, which upheld the ruling. He then appealed at the UAE's top court, claiming that he was wrongly convicted. The man claimed he didn't get a fair trial because he was not given a chance to defend himself.
The Federal Supreme Court decided to cancel the ruling because there were no records to prove that the accused had entered a plea in both the hearings. His statements were not recorded either.
The court ruled that according to the law, trials in criminal proceedings must be based on oral investigations and testimonies by the court against the accused and witnesses. Then the accused shall be called upon in court to enter a plea.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com