DUBAI // Five bootleggers assaulted two men, killing one of them, because they pretended to be policemen looking for a bribe in return for not locking them up.
Dubai Criminal Court heard on Wednesday that the Indians, aged between 25 and 28, were selling alcohol to passers-by in Al Quoz industrial area.
Police said the bootleggers were approached by the two victims, including an Egyptian, 47.
“They said the two men posed as police officers and asked for money not to arrest them,” said an Emirati policeman, 29.
But on December 30 last year, the five discovered that the pair were not police officers and decided to attack them.
“We were walking back to our accommodation when the men appeared carrying sticks,” said the Egyptian blacksmith. “They attacked us and hit us all over our bodies, but I escaped and didn’t look back so I didn’t know what happened to my colleague.
Police arrested the defendants shortly after.
“They denied it at first but soon they admitted willingly,” said an officer. “The first defendant admitted that on the day of the incident he called for the other defendants and they all waited for the victims.”
He said the five said they did not mean for anyone to die. They just wanted to stop the men from blackmailing them.
A medical report confirmed the second man died as a result of the attack after his respiratory system completely shut down.
The five were not in court on Wednesday to face charges of physical assault that led to the death of a person and the injury of another.
The next hearing is scheduled for June 7.
salamir@thenational.ae
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