Tirade on Instagram lands woman in court

ACCUSED CURSED AND THREATENED BUSINESSWOMAN ON LIVE CHAT

Awoman has been accused of broadcasting a live chat on Instagram in which she threatened to kill a businesswoman and destroy her restaurant.

The 45-year-old Emirati businesswoman was said to be a member of the Instagram broadcast group of her 28-year-old countrywoman and upon logging in at 1am one day in February was greeted by a live chat in which she was subjected to curses and threats before other members.

According to records, the 28-year-old woman is believed to have cursed family members of the businesswoman and threatened to kill her and wreck the restaurant if she ever dared speak to her.

The businesswoman reported the matter to the police shortly after watching what she deemed to be the threatening live chat. Following police investigations, the 28-year-old was referred to the Public Prosecution.

Death threat

Prosecutors accused the suspect of misusing the social media to curse the businesswoman and threatening to kill her in a live chat that lasted one minute and 44 seconds on Instagram.

During the first hearing in the case, which is believed to be the first of its kind, the suspect did not show up in the Dubai Court of First Instance to enter her plea yesterday.

Presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi will hand out an in-absentia ruling against the suspect on May 31. Prosecutors charged the 28-year-old of cursing and threatening the businesswoman on social media.

The businesswoman told prosecutors that she accessed Instagram upon noticing that the suspect was on a live chat. “I watched and heard her cursing members of my family... she also said that she would kill me and destroy the restaurant if I ever spoke to her. Other members of that Instagram group watched and heard what she had broadcast. Thereafter I informed the police,” she testified before prosecutors.

The suspect was cited admitting to prosecutors that she had threatened and offended the businesswoman during her live chat on Instagram.