Muscat: Oman’s embassy in Abu Dhabi has appointed a lawyer for the Omani driver of the deadly bus crash that killed 17 people in Dubai early this month.

In a statement on Twitter, the embassy said contrary to what is being circulated on social media in which the citizens have appealed to help the driver, the embassy has confirmed that it has appointed a lawyer as the 53-year-old Omani stands for trial in Dubai court. 

According to the Dubai Public Prosecution, If convicted, the 53-year-old driver will face up to seven years in prison and will be obliged to pay Dh 3.4 million as blood money to the families of the passengers who died in the accident.

“The prosecution shall seek to apply the penalties provided for in the law against the driver, in accordance with the federal laws in force – penalties, traffic and blood money… The penalty is imprisonment up to seven years as well as fine,” the public prosecution tweeted on Wednesday.