Dubai: A police officer in the United Arab Emirates has appeared in court over filming himself holding Barcelona star Lionel Messi's passport.
Abu Dhabi's state-run The National newspaper reported on Tuesday that the police officer appeared in Dubai's Court of Misdemeanors over posting the video to the mobile phone app Snapchat in December.
The newspaper said he posted the clip on Snapchat and said: “This is Messi’s, he is here in Dubai, what do I do? Shall I burn the passport or just put it back! Ok Ok you can go!”
The Public Prosecution charged him with violating the privacy of the famous player, an act punishable under the Emirati laws.
The policeman told prosecutors he had permission from Messi’s bodyguard, who was standing next to the passport control desk and saw him as he spotted the player’s passport, reported The National.
“He was standing there, so I spoke to him in English and asked him if I could take a picture of myself with the player’s passport and he said yes,” said the Emirati policeman.
He, however, deleted the clip after uploading it to Snapchat.
“I have no idea how it got circulated. I was just kidding and had never done this thing with anyone else before. I was wrong and I promise I would never repeat such a behaviour,” he said.
He had been with Dubai Police since 2007.
Messi was in Dubai to receive the Player of the Year award at the Globe Soccer Awards. He is also the global ambassador for the Expo 2020 in Dubai.
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