It has become a norm for social media users to click pictures of celebrities and post them on their various accounts. Such a habit has come at a costly price for an airport policeman in Dubai, who has been jailed for a month after posting Lionel Messi's passport image on a social media network, Snapchat.
The incident transpired when Messi had visited Dubai to attend the Global Soccer Award's best player in December last year. The policeman, who has only been identified with his initials J.J., wanted to actually click a picture alongside football legend Messi, which did not materialise at Dubai International airport.
The policeman was not allowed to take a picture alongside Messi as he was said to be tired after the flight. As a result, he headed to the passport control's office and took a video of Messi's passport.
"I waited for Messi's arrival to take a photo with him ... but his private escorts informed me that the player was tired and would not be able to take a photo, " Gulf News quoted the policeman as saying.
"Thereafter I walked to the passport control's office where I saw Messi's passport on a desk. I grabbed the passport and opened it to the page that contained Messi's personal details and took video images with my iPhone via Snapchat," said the policeman.
His comment on Snapchat alongside the photo landed him in trouble.
"This is Messi here in Dubai ... what shall I do now? Burn his passport or let it go! Alas ... I will let [it] go'.
That decision of the policeman prompted presiding judge Rafat Abbas on Monday to sentence him to one month in prison for "abusing the telecommunication system."
