DUBAI // An illegal immigrant without identification or official documents said he was out of the country when a theft of which he is accused took place, a Dubai court heard this morning.
The Yemeni HA, 33, is charged with theft at night with the use of a weapon and damaging property of others. He denied both charges.
Three men also accused of theft at night and consuming alcohol did not appear before the Dubai Criminal Court of First instance this morning.
Records show the men broke into Pro Four Construction Materials company on the night of September 27, 2010. HA broke the company's glass door, then forced open a locked drawer containing Dh3,600, prosecutors say. The men took the money and left in a BMW, which was parked outside waiting for them.
FM, 30, a Yemeni carpenter; HN, 33, a stateless mechanic; and AA, 49, an Emirati sailor, all allegedly confessed during police investigations and said HA was the one who broke the company's door and drawers.
Prosecutors said the men have robbed several other shops around the emirate.
The are awaiting a verdict on May 25.
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Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
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It's up to you to go green
Nils El Accad, chief executive and owner of Organic Foods and Café, says going green is about “lifestyle and attitude” rather than a “money change”; people need to plan ahead to fill water bottles in advance and take their own bags to the supermarket, he says.
“People always want someone else to do the work; it doesn’t work like that,” he adds. “The first step: you have to consciously make that decision and change.”
When he gets a takeaway, says Mr El Accad, he takes his own glass jars instead of accepting disposable aluminium containers, paper napkins and plastic tubs, cutlery and bags from restaurants.
He also plants his own crops and herbs at home and at the Sheikh Zayed store, from basil and rosemary to beans, squashes and papayas. “If you’re going to water anything, better it be tomatoes and cucumbers, something edible, than grass,” he says.
“All this throwaway plastic - cups, bottles, forks - has to go first,” says Mr El Accad, who has banned all disposable straws, whether plastic or even paper, from the café chain.
One of the latest changes he has implemented at his stores is to offer refills of liquid laundry detergent, to save plastic. The two brands Organic Foods stocks, Organic Larder and Sonnett, are both “triple-certified - you could eat the product”.
The Organic Larder detergent will soon be delivered in 200-litre metal oil drums before being decanted into 20-litre containers in-store.
Customers can refill their bottles at least 30 times before they start to degrade, he says. Organic Larder costs Dh35.75 for one litre and Dh62 for 2.75 litres and refills will cost 15 to 20 per cent less, Mr El Accad says.
But while there are savings to be had, going green tends to come with upfront costs and extra work and planning. Are we ready to refill bottles rather than throw them away? “You have to change,” says Mr El Accad. “I can only make it available.”
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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