4 held for robbing Dh3.15m from businessman, assault

Suspects told man they wanted to purchase his flat at Dubai Marina, then mugged him

Legal and Court Correspondent

Four men have been accused of beating up a businessman after pretending to buy his Dubai Marina-based flat, and stealing his Dh3.15 million.

The Iranian businessman was said to have been contacted by two potential buyers and he agreed to meet them at his flat to show it to them in September. The two Cameroonian employees, 38 and 33, visited the flat on a scheduled date, according to records, posing as prospective buyers. According to the records, the businessman was present with his Afghan friend in the flat when they were assaulted and tied up by the two employees and their compatriot visitors, 37 and 42. The two visitors stole the bag containing cash and fled.

Shortly after the incident, the businessman and his friend freed themselves and reported the matter to the police.

Police interrogations led to the arrest of the Cameroonian quartet.

Prosecutors charged the four suspects with abetting other suspects in assaulting the businessman and his friend and stealing Dh3.15 million, 2 mobiles and a jacket.

The suspects pleaded not guilty and denied the charges when they appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday. There are other suspects who are still at large.

A police lieutenant testified to prosecutors that the visitors — two men 42 and 37 years old — reported to the police that they were beaten and robbed by an African gang.

“A police patrol was dispatched to their location where they were found beaten and bleeding. They alleged that they agreed with two Africans to purchase a flat for them but those Africans [suspects aged 38 and 33] and other culprits [who remain at large] double-crossed them and stole the money for themselves and absconded. Primary interrogations revealed that those two visitors had been to the Iranian’s flat as part of a swindling and deception case of doubling money illegally. They covered up for the part of the doubling-money and just claimed that they had been double-crossed and robbed,” he told prosecutors.

The trial continues.