The former manager of of British football club Leeds United was acquitted over the controversial tweet sent on his behalf while he was sentenced in Dubai. A spokesman for David Haigh said that the court's decision was released Monday.
As reported by Yahoo, Haigh will be sentenced for a few more days until the prosecutors in Dubai have decided whether to appeal to the court's decision. The lawyer of the former manager of Leeds United expressed his wish that his client would be released from the prison soon. Haigh has been sentenced in Dubai since May 2014 over the fraud case filed by Dubai-based GFH Capital.
"David now hopes to be reunited with his family in the UK for Easter," Ian Monk, spokesman of Haigh said in a statement, Washington Times reports. "He will have more to say then."
With the court's decision, the spokeswoman for Bahrain-based GFH Financial Group, which wholly-owned Dubai subsidiary has not yet replied on the Dubai tweet case. The GFH still owns a 25% share in the second-tier football club. The former Manager of Leeds United had also served as the deputy chief executive at GFH Capital. The court's decision is the most recent update evolving around the tedious legal battle between Haigh and GFH.
The former manager of Leeds United was charged of fraud in August 2015. Haigh and GFH are both charging each other of financial mismanagement, according to ABC News. Haigh's scheduled release was postponed after a cyber slander case was reportedly filed against him. His supporters claimed that the case kept his sentence longer. The charges were dismissed by Haigh claiming his innocence over the Dubai tweet case.
United Arab of Emirates has established a cybercrime law in 2012 that punishes the misuse of the social media. The offender could face payment of huge penalty and end up serving a lengthy jail sentence. The offense covers online fraud, hacking and also deals with people who take revenge on their enemies online.
The court's decision may lead to the former manager of Leeds United's release anytime soon after spending almost two years in Dubai's custody. The Dubai tweet case had prompted the Human Rights groups to act and called the cyber charges repressive.
