Five men on trial for beating up colleague

DUBAI — Five men stood trial in a Dubai court for allegedly assaulting and causing their colleague a permanent injury.

The men, aged between 23 and 40 years, have been charged in the Court of First Instance with physical assault and causing permanent bodily harm.

The victim, a 52-year-old driver, said the men who beat him up lived in the same workers’ accommodation as his, in Al Quoz industrial area.

“They assaulted me while they drank alcohol. It was in the parking lot of the company’s vehicles. I was walking near the parking when I saw them inside the car that I drive. I told them to get off or I would call the police, but they ignored me.”

He added: “As I was about to open the driver’s door, someone hit me on the head with a stick from behind. They kept punching and kicking me until I fainted.

I woke up later to find myself at a hospital.”

The victim said he suffered a head injury and bruises all over his body, adding that he hadn’t recovered yet and his body still aches from the injuries. He said a part of the skin from his thigh was removed and used by surgeons to cover the injured spot on his head. “They only assaulted me because I told them to get out of the car that belonged to our company. I did not say or do anything that could have provoked them.”

A police corporal said they tracked down the five men with the aid of the accommodation supervisor.

“They said the fight started after the victim scolded one of them for relieving himself on his car’s tyre. A Pakistani man saw them assaulting the driver and identified them at the police station,” the officer said during public prosecution investigation.

The public prosecution recommended that the most severe penalties be inflicted on the five accused as per the law. The incident was reported to Bur Dubai police on September 15, 2017.