Man held for ransom in Sharjah labour camp, court hears

Two Bangladeshi labourers are accused of holding a countryman captive in a Sharjah labour camp for three days, abusing him and withholding food and water.

DUBAI // Two men were charged yesterday with holding a man for ransom in Sharjah for three days without food or water.

The victim, the Bangladeshi carpenter MS, 27, was kidnapped on May 8, confined in a Sharjah labour camp, starved, and beaten while his captors demanded a Dh5,200 ransom, according to Dubai public prosecution records.

The men accused of kidnapping him - the Bangladeshi labourers JS, 27, and AM, 35 - were accused yesterday in the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance of kidnapping by deception, illegal confinement and assault. The two denied the charges before Judge El Saeed Bargouth.

MS testified yesterday that he met JS on May 8 to purchase phone credit in front of a supermarket in Al Qusais.

"JS sold me credit and then asked me if I was busy, because he wanted me to come with him in Sharjah to help him sort out a problem with a relative of his," MS said.

The victim's ordeal came to an end after police at Al Qusais managed to trace his location using his mobile telephone and raided the property four days later, arresting the three men.

When they arrived, MS told prosecutors, he was bound and beaten before being locked in a room. The case has been adjourned until next month.