DUBAI // Two jobless men will each spend a year in jail after being convicted of armed robbery and trying to extort money from bosses at a health centre.
The Dubai Criminal Court found Emirati M M, 21, and Iranian M G, 22, guilty of raiding the centre armed with swords and knives in an attempt to get a weekly payment of Dh300 from the owners.
Earlier this month, the pair denied charges of armed robbery.
At midnight on March 17, the men arrived at the Golden Proof Men’s Health Centre in Al Rigga, Deira, and sat in the waiting area before taking out their swords and knives.
“They were hiding the weapons under their clothes,” said J J, 28, a Chinese partner at the centre.
He told prosecutors the pair tried to speak to him but when he did not understand what they were saying, they asked a customer to translate into English.
J J said the men wanted extortion payments from the centre in the form of a ‘security tax’ which would ensure the centre was protected.
“They demanded we pay them Dh300 a week,” said JJ who added that one of the men used a sword to open the till. JJ stalled the duo until police arrived by giving them Dh200.
They were both arrested at the health centre.
“An employee called me and told me about the incident so I called police then headed to the centre,” said H M, 44, from China.
Police officer T A, 36, said the men resisted arrest and one of them pulled a knife but he was controlled and taken into custody.
M G will be deported after serving his jail term.
salamir@thenational.ae
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Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
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1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
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5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
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Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The biog
Full name: Aisha Abdulqader Saeed
Age: 34
Emirate: Dubai
Favourite quote: "No one has ever become poor by giving"
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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