Cabbie bites passenger, snatches her phone

dubai — A cabbie has been charged at a Dubai court after he allegedly assaulted a female passenger and stole her mobile phone.

The Court of First Instance heard how the 30-year-old-Pakistani man snatched the mobile phone, worth about Dh3,000, from the European woman. He allegedly bit and pushed her away as she was trying to get her phone back.

The defendant denied a theft charge in court. The incident allegedly took place on August 11 last year. It was reported at Al Barsha police station.

A police sergeant said they questioned the complainant. “She said she took a cab with her friend from outside a bank along the Sheikh Zayed Road. They wanted to go to Tecom. During the trip, the woman had an argument with the driver after she noticed that he did not go directly to their destination but was rather taking other roads. Her friend then vomited inside the car.”

The complainant told the officer that the driver got upset and parked near a villa in Al Barsha. The police sergeant quoted her as saying that they were told to step off the car. “She claimed she told the defendant to call the police, but he then snatched her mobile phone after he bit her in the shoulder and pushed her to the ground.”

When the defendant was interrogated, he denied the charge. The woman underwent a checkup at a hospital and submitted a medical report to the public prosecution investigator.

A ruling will be issued on February 27.