Policeman was taking suspect into custody for taking a cellphone forgotten in washroom at Dubai Mall

Dubai: A vendor has been accused of assaulting a policeman and causing him a head injury during his arrest for trying to take away a forgotten phone from a washroom at Dubai Mall.

A shopper was said to have forgotten his phone inside a washroom at Dubai Mall in August before he informed security guards about it.

The security guards reported the matter to the police before on-site investigations exposed the involvement, according to records, of a 31-year-old Filipino vendor who worked at one of the malls outlets.

Police summoned the vendor outside the shop and took him to the parking lot, but when the policeman asked him to sit in the police car, he allegedly refused.

Records said the vendor resisted arrest and pushed the policeman when he tried to make him sit in the patrol car.

The policeman fell down on the ground and the Filipino fell over him and caused him an injury in his head.

When he tried to flee from the scene, the policemans partner instantly restrained him and put him in the police car after he handcuffed him.

Prosecutors accused the 31-year-old Filipino of assaulting a policeman and injuring him while resisting arrest. He was also accused of keeping the phone for himself.

The suspect pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.

The assaulted policeman testified to prosecutors: “I walked in to the outlet where the suspect worked and introduced myself as a policeman … I asked the Filipino to escort me to the parking lot. When I asked him to sit in the police car, he refused and tried to run away. As I tried to restrain him, he assaulted me and pushed me. I sustained a head injury and my partner restrained him.”

A ruling will be heard on November 11.