The National - News

Dh175,000 Lamborghin­i fines saga comes to an end as tourist races home

- GILLIAN DUNCAN

A British tourist who accumulate­d Dh175,000 in speeding fines in a rented Lamborghin­i after triggering every radar on Sheikh Zayed Road has arrived home in Wales.

Farah Hashi, 25, amassed 33 speeding fines in four hours after renting the Dh1.3 million Lamborghin­i Huracan supercar while on holiday in Dubai last month.

Mr Hashi eventually reached an agreement with police and the car rental agency to pay Dh117,000 and thought he could return to southern Wales.

But the car hire company, Saeed Ali Rent a Car, demanded that he pay an additional Dh50,000 to cover the cost of the rental while the car was parked outside the Five hotel in Palm Jumeirah, where he was staying during the dispute.

The company filed a case against Mr Hashi, preventing him from leaving the UAE until he settled the debt.

He was arrested while trying to leave the country with his brother Adman and spent two weeks under house arrest.

But he at last flew home last weekend.

“Farah is now home,” Adman, 50, told the BBC.

During the dispute, Mohammed Ibrahim, 36, who runs Saeed Ali Rent a Car, told The

National he would not let the outstandin­g amount go unpaid.

“I lost money when the vehicle spent several days parked in front of the hotel,” Mr Ibrahim said.

“He rented the car for three days and returned it after 16 days. Renting such a vehicle costs Dh3,500 a day.”

A spokesman for the company said Mr Hashi had settled the debt.

“He didn’t pay Dh50,000,” the spokesman said. “I gave him a discount on the rental. We tried to figure out everything, sort it out with him nicely and let him go.”

The dealership did not disclose a figure for the discount. Radar traps had registered Mr Hashi as driving up to 230kph.

The Briton spent a fortnight under house arrest after trying to leave

 ?? Leslie Pableo for The National ?? Farah Hashi, left, received a discount on the Dh50,000 in rental fees he was charged for the time the Lamborghin­i was parked outside a hotel in Dubai, above
Leslie Pableo for The National Farah Hashi, left, received a discount on the Dh50,000 in rental fees he was charged for the time the Lamborghin­i was parked outside a hotel in Dubai, above
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