Ransom threat lands pair in prison

DUBAI // An American and a Swede who held a Pakistani man and his pregnant wife hostage and threatened to chop them up with an axe if they did not pay a Dh200,000 ransom were sentenced to five years in prison.

The American, 51, and his 38- year- old Swedish friend had a business relationship with the Pakistani and had agreed to throw a multicultural festival in the UAE. They discussed the funding of the festival, which they agreed would cost Dh800,000, but then had an argument over money.

The pair invited the Pakistani, 34, to a villa in Jumeirah to discuss the project but when he arrived, they assaulted him and took away his phone, Dubai Criminal Court was told.

The victim escaped and hid in the toilet at a nearby petrol station. He tried to get a station attendant to call police but the man ignored him.

Shortly after, the two managed to lure him back to the villa after promising not to attack him again.

But the pair again assaulted the man with the help of two unidentified men, and threatened to kill him and his wife then chop them into small pieces. The Swede punched the Pakistani in the face while the American sat on his back. The Swede then held an axe and threatened to chop the man’s fingers off before removing his trousers. “They called my wife and told her I was involved in a car accident and lured her into the villa then held her there and threatened to kill her and the baby she is carrying if I didn’t pay them Dh200,000,” the Pakistani said. He managed to contact his sister and her husband and had them come to the villa with Dh75,000, a cheque for Dh25,000 and Dh6,000 he borrowed from two friends. The men are said to have taken the money and the victim’s belongings before leaving the villa.

Police found out about the incident when the Pakistani went to hospital for treatment.

The suspects were arrested and charged with confinement of a person, depriving him of his freedom and seeking a ransom, physical assault and issuing death threats. They denied the charges but were convicted by Dubai Criminal Court. They will be deported after completing their prison terms.