Jail term confirmed for sheep-deal thieves

Pair drugged and stole Dh200,000 from Saudi buyers

DUBAI // Two visitors serving three years in jail for drugging two businessmen and stealing Dh200,000 from them must see out their sentences, Dubai Court of Appeal has ruled.

Prosecutors said M D, 38, from Senegal, and compatriot M M, 28, met two men from Saudi Arabia at a hotel to strike a deal to buy 2,000 sheep in September last year.

The court heard yesterday that M D drugged the men’s tea before he and his accomplice fled with the cash. “I am an imam in Mecca. Once I knew there was something wrong and against the will of God and law I left the hotel,” said M D.

Saudi T F, 42, told prosecutors that he received a call from M D while in his homeland to say M M wanted to sell Somali sheep for Dh100 a head. “We came to Dubai. It was close to Eid Al Adha and the price was excellent,” said T F, who went back to Saudi Arabia with countryman A A, 43, to arrange the money. They returned 10 days later.

The Saudis met the Senegalese men in a hotel room but disagreed over the price. According to A A’s statement, M D made them tea in the room and both he and his countryman fell asleep after drinking it. When they woke up, they found their money and the Senegalese pair had gone, so they called police. M M and M D denied a charge of stealing money from the defendants at Dubai Criminal Court, but were found guilty and sentenced to three years in jail in May. M M was sentenced to an additional six months in prison for a forgery charge.

They will be deported after completing their sentences.