Corrupt police officer jailed over fake arrest

A disgraced police officer who falsely arrested a man to cheat him out of hundreds of thousands of dirhams has been jailed and sacked from his job.

The corrupt Dubai Police employee masterminded a plot in which two accomplices from Cameroon acted as currency dealers in a cash exchange with a Pakistani victim.

The 41-year-old first lieutenant directed the two men to offer the currency buyer Dh272,000 in return for $150,000 (Dh550,000), Dubai Criminal Court heard.

“I heard about the two Cameroonian men offering better rates from a friend and I contacted them,” said the Pakistani, 25.

On April 8, he met the pair in Al Bahara to complete the transaction. The Emirati officer arrived in a police car with two other men – a Palestinian, 42, and a man holding a Comoros Island passport, 43.

The three of them posed as CID officers and pretended to take the victim and the two Cameroonians into custody on suspicion of illegal currency sale. They took the cash for evidence.

Once they had the money the offenders fled the scene, leaving the duped Pakistani empty handed.

Court records stated that the Cameroonian men were paid Dh15,000 each for their role in the crime, with the Palestine man paid Dh72,000 and the Comoros Islands national picking up Dh60,800. The police officer kept the remaining money.

The victim reported the matter to police, who arrested the perpetrators.

“He is not a CID officer and works at the correctional establishments,” an Emirati policeman said. “His duties do not include making arrests.”

When questioned, the first lieutenant initially denied the crime and insisted he did not know the other men. But the testimonies of his co-accused confirmed his involvement, an Emirati police captain said.

While appearing in court in September, all five men denied charges of theft. The policeman and two Cameroonians were also charged with posing as CID officers, which they also denied.

The Cameroonians denied additional charge of aiding and abetting. They were all convicted of all charges and sentenced to three years in prison each.

The expatriates will also be deported after serving their prison terms.

The men posed as CID officers before arresting the victim on suspicion of an illegal currency sale