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Four jailed for kidnapping businessman

The Court of First Instance ordered that all the four defendants, including a welder, two drivers and a worker, be deported after serving their prison terms. The verdict is subject to appeal within 15 days at the Court of Appeal.

They are believed to have lured the complainant into meeting them in Al Quoz Industrial area. From there they took him to a labor accommodation and then to Sharjah where he was held for two days. The accused released the complainant after his sister transferred Dh17,000 to the welder’s brother in Bangladesh.

The defendants, aged between 26 and 48, are also accused of robbing the complainant of Dh3000. They faced charges of kidnap, illegal confinement and forced robbery.

The complainant, 32, told the prosecutor that he was in Al Barsha on that day in January when the welder called him on his mobile phone and requested to meet him in Al Quoz. It was about 3 pm.

The welder was with his co-accused and a runaway accomplice. They had tea together at a restaurant and then they took him to a labor accommodation. They threatened to throw him off the rooftop if he screamed and that they would kill him and throw his body in the dumpster if he did not ask his family in Australia to send them Dh17,000.

The complainant called his friend here and his sister in Australia and told them about the defendants’ claims. He was then taken by force to a room in Sharjah where was held for some time.

After confirming that the money was transferred, the defendants let the complainant off.

A police corporal said that they were informed about the kidnapping by the complainant’s friend.

Through investigation, they first arrested the welder who then led them to the others. The welder alleged that the complainant owed him some money and was avoiding repaying him so in order to get his money back the welder kidnapped him to force him into paying him.

mary@khaleejtimes.com