The Dubai Court of Appeal on Sunday, December 11th, reduced the life sentence for smuggling drugs handed to an 18-year-old Nigerian female singer who was mistaken for a 30-year-old, to four years.
Dubai Criminal Court had sentenced her to life after prosecutors said she sold 1.91 grams of marijuana. Her age was listed as 30 on court documents.
Prosecutors said that on October 25 last year she tried to sell the drugs to a police source posing as a buyer. An Emirati police lieutenant said the source agreed to meet the suspect near a hospital in Abu Hail to buy marijuana for Dh300.
He said that about midnight she arrived in a taxi and got into the source’s car. Shortly after police raided the car and she was arrested.
Records stated she resisted arrest and tried to escape, but a policewoman pinned her down. She will be deported after serving her term.
"I am only 18 years old, your honour, and it was a friend of mine who asked me to carry a package but I had no idea what it was," the girl, who was not named told judges while kneeling before the court.
Dubai Criminal Court had sentenced her to life after prosecutors said she sold 1.91 grams of marijuana. Her age was listed as 30 on court documents.
Prosecutors said that on October 25 last year she tried to sell the drugs to a police source posing as a buyer. An Emirati police lieutenant said the source agreed to meet the suspect near a hospital in Abu Hail to buy marijuana for Dh300.
He said that about midnight she arrived in a taxi and got into the source’s car. Shortly after police raided the car and she was arrested.
Records stated she resisted arrest and tried to escape, but a policewoman pinned her down. She will be deported after serving her term.