Judge Baseer told the singer he was a 'sinner' when he appeared before a hearing at Abu Dhabi Court

04:51 Judge Baseer told the singer he was a 'sinner' when he appeared before a hearing at Abu Dhabi Court 0 Comments

A backing singer for Egyptian musician Saad Al Sughayar has denied possessing hashish and tramadol pills after he was detained on arrival in the UAE ahead of a gig in Abu Dhabi.

The performer told Abu Dhabi Criminal Court yesterday that the drugs must have ended up in his suitcase by mistake.

“I was surprised when the officers told me there were drugs in my bag,” he said. “I had no idea how they got there.”

During initial police investigations the defendant confessed to bringing the drugs into the country. However, in court he said he only did so because officers told him he would be able to return to Egypt immediately if he did.

He told the hearing that the drugs were found in clothes he shared with his brother, who was back in Cairo. However, he admitted to consuming drugs in his home country.

“I use drugs in my county. I have a medical prescription for the tramadol,” he said, stressing that a doctor in Egypt had prescribed the drugs for him.

The defendant tried to joke with Chief Justice Sayed Abdul Baseer about drugs use in his home country. To which the judge told him: “You are a big sinner.”

A verdict will be announced tomorrow. Saad Al Sughayar is set to run in the presidential elections in Egypt