UAE court upholds life term for Pinay nurse who hid drugs in underwear

A United Arab Emirates court on Wednesday upheld the life imprisonment sentence of a 34-year-old Filipina nurse who was caught hiding drugs in her underwear earlier this year.

The Dubai Appeal Court also upheld a hefty fine against her and an accomplice for selling drugs, UAE news site Gulf News reported.

Presiding judge Saeed Salem Bin Sarm confirmed the primary ruling against the two, and ordered them deported once they serve their sentences.

Last June, the Dubai Court of First Instance jailed the nurse and her compatriot for life and imposed a fine of Dh100,000 (roughly P1,229,100) each for possessing methamphetamine for trading purposes.

Both Filipinos had pleaded not guilty.

Earlier, the nurse was convicted of possessing 0.53 gram of methamphetamine for trading purposes, after authorities seized the substance in her underwear during a sting operation.

Also caught was a Filipino employee, 33, who had 0.46 gram of the same substance.

The nurse also denied consuming methamphetamine and amphetamine.

But the nurse said she got the methamphetamine from a person called Louis and then sold it to the other Filipino for Dh4,500 (roughly P55,300).

A drug enforcement officer testified that an informant claimed the accomplice was in possession of a mind-altering substance that he intended to sell for Dh2,500.

“(O)nce the deal was sealed, police raided the place and arrested the employee. Police money was seized in his right hand. Upon confrontation, he immediately admitted that he sold the banned substance to the informant,” said the officer.

The appellate ruling remains subject to appeal before the Cassation Court within 30 days. — Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

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