Man burns friend’s vehicle for not returning his money

Accused confesses to using a lighter to start fire

APakistani man is on trial for setting ablaze his friend’s vehicle in an act of revenge as the latter kept delaying payment of money loaned by the suspect, a Dubai

Court of First Instance heard yesterday.

The 34-yearold defendant confessed using a lighter to set fire in the cabin of the pick-up parked in a sandy area at Al Quoz Industrial area.

“I loaned him money and later I asked him to return the money as my wife was sick and I needed money for her treatment. He kept delaying the payment and later stopped picking up my calls, so I burnt his vehicle,” he told the judge.

According to official records, last July 13 the Pakistani victim parked his pick-up near his company’s accommodation and after an hour he received a call from a friend that his vehicle was on fire.

“I went to the car, but it wasn’t where I had parked it. I called my friend back who told me that he saw my car burning behind the labour accommodation. I ran to the place and saw firefighters trying to extinguish the blaze. I don’t know how the car moved to another area,” the 24-yearold Pakistani driver said in official records.

Dubai Police launched an investigation and discovered that the defendant used a lighter and a pile of papers inside the car’s cabin to start the fire.

The defendant was ordered to remain in police custody and a verdict will be issued on September 20.