It was a case of lost in translation at Dubai Criminal Court when a defendant insisted on addressing the judge in Arabic - while his lawyer urged him to speak in English.
SL (28), an Egyptian-Swiss, insisted on speaking in Arabic while his lawyer Ali Al Shamsi asked him to speak in English to prove that he cannot speak Arabic fluently.
Judge Hamad Abdul Latif asked the defendant his name and profession and SL answered that his name on the Egyptian passport is S***** and that he worked in the investment field.
The judge recorded the proceedings. He later asked SL about the two charges against him - assaulting plaintiff Jasmet Jouri and consuming alcohol. SL denied the first charge and confessed to the second. SL is out on bail after submitting his passport.
Dubai Public Prosecution had charged the defendant with hitting the plaintiff while the two were at a night club and for consuming alcohol.
The lawyer appealed for time to study the case. The court has been adjourned until October 26.
By Mohammed Elsidafy
© Emirates Business 24/7 2009
