Saturday, June 24, 2006

Psychiatrist Accused of Blackmailing Patient

A report from Dubai, as seen on the Gulf News website

A drug suspect is seeking the court's help, alleging that his doctor is blackmailing him instead of writing him a medical prescription to prove his innocence.

Dubai Public Prosecution had charged the UAE national with consuming and possessing pills containing banned substances, a charge he denied yesterday at the Dubai Court of First Instance. The suspect maintained his innocence and told judge Mahmoud Al Sharshabi, who presided over yesterday's hearing, that he is "taking medicine pills which contain drugs for medical treatment".

He alleged that his private doctor is asking him for money to write a medical prescription for him.

"He is the chief psychiatrist at a private clinic in Dubai and refused to give my family the medical prescription before we pay him money. I cannot pay Dh 1,000, 2,000 or 3,000 for that," he told the court.

The defendant also claimed that, "the doctor even warned my family that if we try to reach him through the public prosecution to obtain the prescription, he will take a month to send it on."

The accused said that he was being prosecuted in seven similar cases and was badly in need of the prescription "to prove his innocence" and that he is taking the drugs "as treatment".

He is seeking the court's assistance and the judge promised to look into his claim to decide what could be done.

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