Trader denies assault

The Iraqi attacked his accountant over how much he was billed.

DUBAI // A trader denied assaulting a man and leaving him with a disability in his right wrist, a court heard.

"I didn't do it you honour," OF, a 47-year-old Iraqi, told Maher Salameh, the presiding judge at Dubai Criminal Court.

Records said the defendant assaulted his compatriot, MA, 57, an accountant, on April 23, 2011.

The victim said he visited the man's office in Al Rafaa to claim some debts.

"I handed him a bill with the amount he needed to pay and informed him that I came two months back for the same reason but since then no money was paid," MA said.

When he saw the bill, OF started screaming at the accountant and refused to pay him any money. MA left the office.

"As i was standing next to the lift I heard him screaming but I can't remember what he was saying," said MA, adding that he looked back to see the defendant coming toward him. OF then pushed him to the ground.

"I felt my arm got broken and I told him," MA said.

OF told the victim to leave and never return. When MA said he would go to the police, OF reportedly said: "Go to whomever you want."

MA sought treatment at the hospital.

Two weeks later OF went to MA's office and tried to settle the matter before it went to court, said FY, MA's business partner, in testimony.

"He said he did not mean to break MA's hand and tried to pull him up when he fell to the ground," FY said. "He also said he was willing to pay all treatment expenses."

The next hearing will be on July 29.