Saleswomen, guard kidnapped man for Dh5,000 in Dubai

DUBAI // A man was kidnapped by three saleswomen and a security guard who threatened him with a knife and demanded he pay them Dh5,000 in return for his safe release, a Dubai court heard.

Prosecutors said women LQ, 22, BY, 34, and TD, 25, along with guard NH, 32, all Vietnamese, kidnapped the victim, identified as AH, after arranging to meet him in International City.

AH, whose nationality was not stated, was taken to an apartment building where NH threatened to cut his hands with a knife if he didn’t pay.

They then called the victim’s friend and asked him to bring the money.

Emirati police officer TA, 24, told prosecutors that on January 17 this year, he received a report from the victim’s friend informing him about the kidnapping.

“We told AH’s friend to call the kidnappers and inform them that he wanted to pay the money,” said the policeman.

Officers monitored the rendezvous point and saw TD waiting for the friend to arrive with the money, they also saw NH coming out of the building and stand with TD.

Police apprehended TD and NH and went inside the building, where they found LQ and BY as well as the victim in an apartment.

The four defendants were taken to Al Rashidiya police station.

At the Dubai Criminal Court, the presiding judge ordered the case to be adjourned until April 27 in order to bring a Vietnamese translator so that LQ, BY, TD, and NH, who can’t speak English or Arabic, enter a plea against the charges of kidnapping and issuing threats.