A Sri Lankan prisoner has appeared in court accused of lighting a fire in his cell.

On Sunday, the 28-years-old, did not enter a plea at Dubai Criminal Court as a translator was not available.

The court heard that at 9.15pm on November 19 last year, a fire alarm sounded in Dubai Central Prison.

“When I heard the alarm, I checked the cameras and saw smoke and headed to its location," a policeman said.

“I started looking in each cell trying to locate where the smoke was coming from,” he added.

He said that he found the smoke emanating from the prisone's cell but he was not able to find any incendiary devices.

“When I asked him about the fire, he said he started it because he wanted to be referred to the prison’s clinic, but he did not say anything further,” the policeman asserted.

The next hearing will be on August 25.

(The National)