DUBAI // A Lebanese man confessed to using chilli spray to steal money and a Rolex watch from an elderly Saudi man, a court heard.
He and his wife also claimed they were just taking back their own money.
“We did not go to his villa with the intent to steal,” said the husband S K, 38.
“We went on a visit and there we spoke about our money that he took. He refused to give it back so we argued and I sprayed him with chilli pepper spray.”
Prosecutors charged him with the theft of more than Dh180,000 in cash, and a golden key chain and Rolex valued at Dh20,000 from the Saudi man, 75.
The wife S A, 40, was charged with aiding and abetting her husband. It was claimed she planned the theft as she knew the victim.
She called her husband in Lebanon, suggested the theft and told him that the victim had a lot of money in his safe at the villa, Dubai Criminal Court heard.
Prosecutors told the court he came to the country on March 14.
At 1pm that day, she sent him a text message telling him that she had left the victim’s villa along with his driver, but left a door open.
“I entered the villa and was surprised to see the man,” the husband told prosecutors.
“I did not expect he would have the power to resist since he was old, but he grabbed me from my shirt so I sprayed him with pepper, then tied his hand and legs.”
He took the man’s wallet, dragged him to the house office and asked him to show him the safe and give him its key.
“He refused to tell me but S A had told me where to find it so I opened it up and took the money,” he said.
He was arrested as he was boarding a plane back to Lebanon.
His wife returned to the villa and found the victim bruised and bleeding from the nose. A friend reported the incident.
A verdict is expected on June 19.
salamir@thenational.ae
