Three men walk free from death threat charge as acquittal is upheld

Prosecutors lose appeal against men who were said to have threatened to kill countryman if he did not give them protection money.

DUBAI // Prosecutors have lost their appeal against the acquittal of three men from a charge of issuing death threats.

The men, from Kazakhstan, were reported by their 40-year-old compatriot to police in March last year. The man said the trio were demanding he pay them protection money each month.

The men, aged 52, 51, and 29, denied the charges in both criminal and appeal courts.

They were arrested at a cafe in Mall of the Emirates in a sting by Dubai Police.

At Dubai Criminal Court, the men denied issuing death threats and were found not guilty. Their acquittal was upheld by Dubai Appeals Court on Tuesday.