DUBAI // A jobless man used a knife to coerce a motorist to drive him somewhere on March 27 last year, Dubai Criminal Court heard on Sunday.
Pakistani T M, 27, was in his parked Nissan Sunny at a bus station in Bur Dubai at 4.30am when the accused, E H, a 29-year-old Emirati, got in the car and ordered T M to drive, prosecutors said.
“He suddenly got into the car speaking Urdu, saying he was Afghani, then ordered me to drive him to his destination,” T M said. “I didn’t know the man so I refused but he started screaming at me, which scared me, and I drove him to where he wanted to go.”
E H later demanded to be given the car, T M said.
“Then he pulled out a knife and threatened to stab me with it. And when I tried to run, he tried to assault me with the knife,” said T M, who managed to escape and took a taxi ride to safety before making a police report. When T M’s car was found, his mobile phones and Dh1,200 in cash were in the vehicle.
According to police, E H has a criminal record and he committed a similar crime against a 26-year-old Pakistani driver. He was also convicted of theft and impersonating a police officer. The court jailed him for a year for that offence.
E H was in jail and did not attend the court hearing on Sunday, nor did he enter a plea regarding the charges.
salamir@thenational.ae
