Ugandan jailed in Dubai over marijuana
A UGANDAN woman was jailed for life in the United Arab Emirates for selling marijuana cigarettes worth Dh500 (about sh250,000).
By Yasin Kakande
in Dubai
A UGANDAN woman was jailed for life in the United Arab Emirates for selling marijuana cigarettes worth Dh500 (about sh250,000).
The Dubai court was told the cigarettes were found in the apartment of Rukia Matovu following a Police raid on July 28, 2008.
After her arrest, Matovu, 28, handed over 16 marijuana cigarettes to the Police’a anti-narcotic department.
Some of the cigarettes had been hidden in a box in her bedroom.
According to the Police, Matovu, who said she had stolen the cigarettes from her housemate, confessed to selling each cigarette at Dh30 (sh15,000).
The raid was conducted following a tip about Matovu’s activities.
The Police had been monitoring her for some time. The verdict is subject to appeal within 30 days.
In a related development, the Dubai appeal court reduced the jail sentence of another Ugandan, arrested for trafficking marijuana, from 25 to 10 years.
The court also slapped a fine of Dh50,000 (about sh25.5m) on the 23-year-old, only identified as Sulaiman. He has to pay the fine before he is deported after serving his sentence.
Sulaiman also has 30 days to appeal.
Marijuana is one of the most abused drugs in the world and its consumption is illegal in Uganda.
in Dubai
A UGANDAN woman was jailed for life in the United Arab Emirates for selling marijuana cigarettes worth Dh500 (about sh250,000).
The Dubai court was told the cigarettes were found in the apartment of Rukia Matovu following a Police raid on July 28, 2008.
After her arrest, Matovu, 28, handed over 16 marijuana cigarettes to the Police’a anti-narcotic department.
Some of the cigarettes had been hidden in a box in her bedroom.
According to the Police, Matovu, who said she had stolen the cigarettes from her housemate, confessed to selling each cigarette at Dh30 (sh15,000).
The raid was conducted following a tip about Matovu’s activities.
The Police had been monitoring her for some time. The verdict is subject to appeal within 30 days.
In a related development, the Dubai appeal court reduced the jail sentence of another Ugandan, arrested for trafficking marijuana, from 25 to 10 years.
The court also slapped a fine of Dh50,000 (about sh25.5m) on the 23-year-old, only identified as Sulaiman. He has to pay the fine before he is deported after serving his sentence.
Sulaiman also has 30 days to appeal.
Marijuana is one of the most abused drugs in the world and its consumption is illegal in Uganda.