A wanted drug dealer claimed that he was freaked out when police officers called him with his professional name, ‘Bimbo’, and it led him to unintentionally lash out and hit them.
Last month, the 30-year-old Bahraini was sentenced to two years in prison and was fined BD3,000 for assaulting officers who were sent to arrest him over narcotics trading charges.
In a heartfelt letter addressed to the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court, the man described his background, and how he was led down the path of crime, and vowed to be on the straight and narrow from here on in.
“I’ve lived a very difficult childhood, full of suffering and deprivation, and I didn’t receive guidance that would’ve stopped me from going down the slippery slope I now find myself in,” read his handwritten letter.
“These circumstances have left wounds in my spirit that I carried with me well into adulthood. I did what I did as I was misguidedly looking for a way out, in a time of weakness.
“Nevertheless, I admit my mistake and I blame only myself for my actions.
“The period of time I’ve already spent in custody has been enough to teach me unforgettable lessons about the value of freedom, family and dignity.
“I promise you that this will be my last time my name is mentioned in a criminal case, and I will not go down this corrupt path ever again.”
The appellant’s lawyer defended his client’s reaction to the police call-out, as he had been apprehended while walking in the street.
“The use of the appellant’s nickname, Bimbo, does not lend authority to the police’s orders for him to stop, and makes it appear that they were operating outside the framework of the law,” claimed a defence note.
“Officers noticed his unsteady gait and decided to ambush him, although he was neither seen in a suspicious act, nor in the act of promoting or distributing drugs, and possessed drugs only for personal use.
“He did not qualify as the target of surveillance and the penalty was harsh and disproportionate to the charges.”
Despite these arguments, the High Criminal Court heard that the appellant was recognised on sight by police officers while on patrol, since he is a ‘repeat offender’ who was ‘known for stirring up trouble’.
The GDN earlier reported that he denied charges of committing violence to obstruct public security officers from enforcing the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances laws.
He was also charged with possessing hashish and methamphetamine for recreational use, and his previous convictions on similar charges acted as an aggravating circumstance in the case.
A police officer testified that the Bahraini was seen in ‘an unnatural state’ by officers patrolling the area for suspected drug-related activity.
“Since he is habitual offender known as ‘Bimbo’, we knew who he was, and there was also a warrant out to arrest him on suspicion in another case,” he said.
“We stopped him and identified ourselves to him, but he ran away, leaving behind a black bag. He resisted arrest but was eventually caught and brought under control using force.”
According to the authorities, the bag contained 0.52g of meth and 2.53g of hashish.
The nickname ‘Bimbo’ could be a reference to a character in the 1978 Japanese cartoon Treasure Island, which was dubbed into Arabic in 1981, and continued to entertain generations of Arabs well into the early 2000s.
‘Bimbo’ is also an Arabicisation (Arabic transliteration) of ‘Benbow’, the beloved pet leopard who accompanies anime’s main character, Jim Hawkins, on his marine adventures ... unlike the Western world which uses the term to describe an attractive but unintelligent young woman.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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