DUBAI // Two unemployed men armed with swords and knives raided a men’s health centre to rob it and force its owner to pay a weekly fee.
Dubai Criminal Court heard that at midnight on March 17 Emirati M M, 21, and Iranian M G, 22, arrived at the Golden Proof Men’s Health Centre in Al Rigga, Deira.
“They sat in the waiting area for about five minutes before they took out their swords and knives, which they were hiding under their clothes,” said J J, 28, a partner at the centre from China.
He told prosecutors the pair tried to speak to him but when he did not understand what they were saying, they got a passer-by to translate what they said to English.
J J said the two wanted extortion payments from the centre in the form of security tax, which would ensure the centre was protected. “They demanded we pay them Dh300 a week,” said J J.
The partner added that one of them used the sword to open the till drawer but then another centre partner arrived after being called by an employee. He stalled the duo until police arrived by handing them Dh200.
They were both arrested at the scene.
“An employee called me and told me about the incident so I called police then headed to the centre,” said fellow Chinese partner H M, 44.
Police officer T A, 36, said the men resisted arrest and one of them pulled out his knife but he was controlled and taken into custody.
They denied a charge of attempted armed robbery in court.
A verdict is expected on October 25.
salamir@thenational.ae
