DUBAI // A grocery shop owner who would take his daily income home to prevent it from being stolen was robbed in the street by three men after he shut up shop for the day.
Prosecutors told Dubai Criminal Court that Pakistanis NM, 32, ZM, 23, and 33-year-old WM waited for Indian shopkeeper MA, 44, as he locked up in the early hours of September 14.
The defendants are then accused of attacking the man, who was carrying a small bag containing takings of Dh65,000.
“I put the income in a bag and take it home with me then bring it back the next morning but, as I reached a sandy patch opposite my building, three masked men attacked me with iron bars,” said the shopkeeper.
“They hit me on the head and all over my body and, as they did, they tried to pull the bag out of my hands but I kept holding on to it.”
The assault continued and his cries for help were not heeded.
“Only then one of them managed to grab the bag out of my hand and run with it and, when the other two saw that he got the bag, they followed him,” said MA, who, despite his pain, gave chase.
A number of men who were passing by helped him capture the thief and, as they did, the bag opened up and all the cash was scattered over the street.
The shopkeeper called police as defendant NM was restrained.
“He told police everything,” said MA, who was referred to Rashid Hospital for treatment.
Police then arrested the other two defendants and referred them to prosecutors, who charged them all with armed robbery.
The trio confessed to the charge in court and await a verdict on January 4.
salamir@thenational.ae
