DUBAI // Three men will serve life sentences for murdering two security guards while stealing diesel.
Two Pakistanis, between ages 30 and 40, and an Egyptian, 40, stabbed and killed two Bangladeshis who disturbed them in a raid to steal Dh33,500 worth of diesel in March 2010.
The Egyptian was employed at the company but was fired a month before the raid. He agreed to steal the diesel with the Pakistanis by letting them into the premises.
Once inside, the Egyptian stabbed both guards to death. He fled to Egypt that day.
Another guard reported the incident after trying to contact the victims to open the gates to let them in and take over the shift.
“We found the body of one of the security guards in a narrow alley behind the company’s cafeteria,” a police officer said.
Police then searched the rest of the premises and found the other body in a rubbish bin 300 metres away.
“The Pakistani men were arrested near Dragonmart after a source told us they were involved in the deaths,” the officer said. “They had on them money they received from selling some of the diesel. However, they denied killing the guards and said the Egyptian did it.”
The Pakistanis told the officer they gave the Egyptian Dh4,625 for his share of the fuel that was sold.
Forensic teams found three knives at the Egyptian’s home and a pair of shoes with blood from the victims. He was apprehended in Egypt.
Phone records from the time of the crime showed that the defendants were in contact with each other.
A forensic report concluded that the guards died as a result of stab wounds to the chest, abdomen and back.
At Dubai Criminal Court, the trio were each given a life sentence and will be deported after completing their sentences. It was not revealed why the case took so long to get to court.
tzriqat@thenational.ae
