Illiteracy saves two men from Dubai prison

Two men, who allegedly threatened in writing to set fire to a police detention unit if they were not transferred to another detention centre, were acquitted on grounds of illiteracy.
The Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday acquitted the Emirati men, 37-year-old N.A. and 19-year-old E.A., for lack of corroborating evidence.
"My clients cannot read or write. It is impossible for them to have written the letter. I ask the court to dismiss the charges simply because they are illiterate and cannot read or write," their lawyer Saeed Al Ghailani told the court.
Presiding Judge Hamad Abdul Latif Abdul Jawad acquitted the suspects due to uncorroborated evidence.

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Not satisfied
According to the arraignment sheet, prosecutors said N.A., E.A. and a third suspect, 38-year-old H.I., who doesn't carry identification papers, made a written request to a Yemeni policeman asking to be transferred to another detention centre, or they would set the Ports police station's detention centre on fire.
However advocate Al Ghailani contended before the court: "The suspects were not satisfied with the way they were being treated at the centre. So they asked another detainee to write a transfer request for them. Then they put their thumb impression on the letter without knowing what was written. They were surprised when they were charged with threatening to set the detention centre on fire."
Prosecutors also failed to take the statement of the detainee who wrote the transfer letter, argued Al Ghailani.
The trio denied their accusations.
Monday's judgement remains subject to appeal within 15 days.