Four jailed for kidnapping Dubai salesman in gold bar dispute

They locked up victim for four days and threatened to kill his family

A gang of four men were convicted of kidnap and assault at Dubai Criminal Court. The National

Members of a gang who kidnapped a salesman and assaulted him repeatedly during a four-day ordeal have been handed jail sentences by a Dubai court.

The four Indian men, aged between 29 and 48, held their compatriot captive over an alleged theft of gold bars in May. The gang also made threats to kill his family.

They abducted the victim from an unspecified location in Naif before imprisoning him in an apartment in Hor An Anzai, Dubai. The next day they moved him to another address in Sharjah and held him captive for three more days.

Judges were told the dispute began earlier that month after the victim introduced the 48-year-old gang member to a man travelling to India based on the latter’s request.

“He asked me if I knew anyone travelling to India because he wanted to send gold to his family,” the victim told investigators.

“I told him about a fellow salesman I heard was flying to India soon, and that is all I know.”

When locked up at the Sharjah apartment, the victim was informed that the traveller had stolen the gold bars and disappeared.

“I told the defendants I had nothing to do with it but one of them said he was a CID officer and has lodged a complaint against me,” said the victim.

The man promised to help locate the alleged thief's family in India if he was released.

The gang also threatened to kill the salesman's family if he reported them to police.

However, when finally freed, he was contacted by police as a “missing person” report had been filed following his disappearance.

Police tracked down the four men a week later and arrested them.

They faced kidnap and assault charges in court, which they denied at a previous hearing.

On Tuesday, all four were convicted at Dubai Criminal Court and sentenced to a year in prison each to be followed by deportation.