By Staff Reporter
Dubai: A young man has been sentenced to three months in jail after a federal court found him guilty of engaging in illicit online communication with a married woman, even as the court acquitted the woman of all charges due to lack of evidence linking her to the social media accounts involved, Emarat Al Youm reported.
According to court records, the case began when the woman’s husband filed a complaint after discovering romantic messages and personal photos exchanged between his wife and the man on Instagram and Snapchat.
The messages, investigators said, developed from initial contact through an account the woman used to sell homemade products, evolving into repeated emotional exchanges.
During questioning, the man admitted to sending the messages but insisted that he believed the woman was divorced and said his intention was to marry her.
He added that their conversations deepened after she spoke of marital and personal difficulties.
The woman, however, denied the accusations, maintained that the accounts were not proven to be hers, and said the complaint stemmed from family disputes.
In a closed remote hearing, both defendants appeared with their lawyers and denied the charges.
The man told the court he never intended to “incite immorality,” reiterating that his communication was driven by the belief that the woman was single and by his desire for marriage.
The woman’s lawyer argued that there was no technical evidence linking the accounts to his client and described the complaint as malicious, pointing to prior acquaintance between the husband and the accused man.
He requested her full acquittal. The man’s lawyer sought the testimony of the defendant’s wife and argued for acquittal due to lack of technical proof or, alternatively, leniency.
In its ruling, the court emphasized that criminal convictions must be based on solid, corroborated evidence that leaves no room for doubt. It noted that while confessions may be considered, they must align with the facts and be supported by additional proof.
After reviewing the case, the court concluded that the allegations against the woman were unsupported, citing the absence of any technical evidence tying her to the conversations. She was acquitted under Article 212 of the Criminal Procedure Law.
The man, however, was convicted based on his admissions during the investigation, his statements in court, and the husband’s testimony. In addition to the three-month jail sentence, the court ordered the confiscation of the phone used in the communication, the deletion of all related data, and the payment of court fees.
Throughout the proceedings, the man maintained that he believed the woman was “divorced” and that his communication with her was driven by his intention to marry.
