DUBAI 25 July 2017: Two policemen – with the help of a translator – allegedly exploited their authority, kidnapped a Chinese manager from a nightclub and blackmailed him, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
The translator, AA, 33, Sudanese used a trick to kidnap a Chinese manager who was in a nightclub in a prestigious hotel. He then informed his two friends who were in a police patrol to stop them and then to blackmail the Chinese ZH, 31.
On August 10, 2016, ZH, was with his friends in a nightclub in a hotel and at around midnight, when an Arab – who introduced himself as Emirati AA – approached them talking Chinese fluently.
“We were amazed of his Chinese language fluency. He asked me to accompany him outside the club as inside was very noisy. I went out with him and he started chatting with me before asking me to accompany him to his car which was stopped outside the club. While we were in the car, he drove away saying that he will take me to another hotel.
“I was surprised because he did not ask me if I would like to go with him. I did not refuse his offer and on the way he asked me to drive as he was feeling drunk. He stopped and I changed seats. While I was driving, a police patrol stopped us and asked for my driving licence. Three men got off the police car… two were wearing UAE national dress and the third was wearing a shirt and a trouser. I told them that I my licence is not with me,” he testified.
The three threatened the Chinese with jail and deportation because he failed to submit his driver licence.
One of them snatched the mobile phone of the Chinese while AA was asking the Chinese to pay Dh27,000 to finish his problem.
“I told him that I do not have this amount… but one of the policemen pulled me from the car and pushed me into the police patrol car. They drove for ten minutes and AA was driving his car behind us. The man who was wearing a shirt and a trouser disappeared from the scene,” testified the victim.
All the way, the two men were threatening the Chinese with jail.
At a parking lot, they stopped and the two policemen, talked to AA in Arabic that the Chinese does not understand.
AA pulled the Chinese from the police car and asked him about the money he had. “I pulled Dh3,000 that was in my pocket. He then pushed me in his car and asked me for Dh17,000 which he needed to hand over to the policemen to finish this problem. As I told him that I do not have this amount, he asked me to call a relative to arrange it.
“I called my brother ZH who argued with him and they agreed on Dh5,000. He drove to the International City to meet my brother. While we were waiting for my brother to come, he searched me and stole my bank card and other cards and then got off the car roaming around in the area. I grabbed the opportunity and ran away,” said the victim who visited Bur Dubai Police station on the following morning and lodged a complaint.
“At Bur Dubai Police station entrance, I saw AA who approached me to give me my mobile and other cards… I threatened him that his finger prints are on the mobile, so he threw it away.. but then he picked it again before running away,” testified the victim who got in again to the station and informed about the incident.
Police arrested MF, 32, Sudanese policeman and MA, 33, Emirati Senior policeman who were driving the police patrol.
The court will reconvene on August 6.
By Lolyana Zaki