Man jailed for kidnapping friend after dinner

Dubai: A man has been jailed for three years for confining a woman and endangering her life by prohibiting her from leaving his moving car shortly after they dined together.

The 28-year-old Emirati man, K.S., prevented his Serbian friend from jumping out of the car while he was driving in August 2013.

The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted K.S. of kidnapping the woman and risking her life despite having entered a not guilty plea.

Presiding judge Ezzat Manour said in court on Thursday the defendant’s car [one which was used during the kidnap] will be impounded.

“The accused will pay Dh21,000 in temporary compensation to the claimant [Serbian victim]”, he said.

The woman had threatened to throw herself out of the moving car, according to records, if the defendant did not pull over and let her get out.

When K.S. encountered slight traffic at a junction, the woman opened the door and jumped out while the car was moving slowly.

In January, the court sentenced K.S. in absentia.

Following the issuance of an arrest warrant, the defendant was brought into custody and he requested a retrial.

When he showed up in court, K.S. denied kidnapping the woman and refuted the accusation of risking her life.

The woman’s lawyer Ali Musabeh Dahi lodged a civil lawsuit against K.S. and sought Dh21,000 in temporary compensation against his client’s moral and psychological damages.

Prosecutors said K.S. locked the victim inside his car and prevented her from getting out. He also risked her life by not stopping and urged her to jump from the moving vehicle and hurt herself.

According to the charge sheet, the Emirati punched the woman and pulled her hair.

The Serbian testified that she parked her car in Jumeirah and K.S. picked her up and they went for dinner at Dubai Festival City.

“He consumed liquor during dinner. When we left around 11pm, I asked him to drop me to my car, but he went to Sharjah. He did not take the first exit to Dubai and drove recklessly. I opened the door while he was driving to force him to return, but he punched me. He pulled my hair and pulled me back when I opened the door a second time and put my legs out. I threw myself out and jumped into the nearest taxi. The driver dropped me near a police patrol,” she said.

The woman was taken to hospital for treatment before she reported what happened to the police.

The defendant was quoted telling prosecutors that he did not intend to hurt the woman when he tried to take his mobile from her hands.

Thursday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.