DUBAI // Six men who took part in the kidnap and rape of a 16-year-old boy today received jail sentences ranging from three years to life in prison.
The Dubai Criminal Court heard that on November 12, 2010, the boy was at a garage with his cousin's friend when another man arrived in a Land Cruiser and pretended to be lost and in need of fuel.
His cousin's friend told the boy to accompany the driver to a petrol station, but on the way the driver stopped in a dark area and told the boy he wanted to have sex with him.
When the boy fled and returned to the garage his cousin's friend pretended to be enraged and gathered the rest of the men together, saying they would take revenge on the driver.
He told the boy they would give him a lift home, but the men instead took the boy to a remote area in Al Quoz Industrial Area and threatened to disfigure his face before taking turns to sexually assault him.
The 29-year-old Yemeni civil engineer, MAH, and the 21-year-old unemployed Emirati, MA, who were both found guilty of kidnapping and rape and sentenced to life in prison.
YH, 26, MMS, 25, and FY, 23, who were found guilty of sexual assault and assisting a kidnap, received ten years in prison. MM, 20, received three years for assisting a kidnap. YH was not present for the sentencing.
The Yemeni defendant will be deported after his prison term.
salamir@thenational.ae
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Countries offering golden visas
UK
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Germany
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Italy
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Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
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Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
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Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
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Engine: Duel electric motors
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On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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Saturday: Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur, 8.15pm (UAE)
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
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THE SPECS
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers