Businessman cleared of insulting religion

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A businessman who allegedly insulted Islam during a dispute of a visa was found innocent on Sunday.

The Egyptian businessman, 34, first stood trial on April 28 charged with issuing verbal insults targeting Islam. He reportedly cursed Islam during a dispute with a compatriot electrician and visitor on Nov.26 last year.

He rebuffed the allegations. The Dubai Criminal Court pronounced him innocent citing uncorroborated accusation evidence. Had he been convicted he would have faced a prison term and a fine worth Dhs500, 000.

In police and prosecution records, the electrician, 40, narrated that he paid the defendant Dhs13,000 to process a visa for his friend (the visitor, 25) under the sponsorship of his company. The defendant processed it.

However, shortly after the visitor came to the UAE the defendant cancelled his visa. The electrician filed a complaint at a Ministry of Human Resources’ centre for resolving labour disputes (Tawafuq Centre).

All litigants were summoned for a session on Nov.26. The electrician went with the visitor and a countryman. The session ended at around 12:30pm. They met the defendant outside the centre and confronted him.

They demanded him to tell them why he cancelled the visa despite having pocketed the money. He allegedly screamed foul words at the electrician involving his mother and sister. He also uttered words against Islam. On his part, the visitor said the defendant processed for him a visa under his technical services company. “I came to the country. He then cancelled the visa. We complained against him at Tawafuq Centre.

“After the hearing ended, I, the electrician and our friend went outside and met the defendant. We wanted to know why he cancelled my visa even as he had received the sum of money he asked us for.

“On trying to talk to him he boiled with anger and insulted the electrician. He targeted his mother and sister and insulted Islam,” claimed the visitor, adding that they complained to Rashidiyah Police Station.