Dubai: Three inmates have been accused of molesting and assaulting a fellow inmate inside a Dubai Central Jail cell to force him to convince his friend to drop an arson complaint against one of them.

The three Emiratis, who are serving various jail terms, were said to have lured the 36-year-old prisoner into a cell where they removed his prison dress.

One of the Emiratis allegedly groped him while the others took mobile photos of the lewd act.

Prosecutors said the trio, 34-year-old A.H., 20-year-old I.A. and 31-year-old A.B., molested 36-year-old A.C., from the Comoros Islands and filmed the molestation so they could pressure him to call his friend and convince the latter to drop a complaint against one of them.

The three men were also accused of threatening to kill A.C. if he reported what happened to the police. Prosecutors also charged them with beating the 36-year-old.

Meanwhile A.C. was charged with assaulting A.H. and causing him injuries.

A.C. was not brought from his cell at Dubai Central Jail as he had refused to stand trial before the Dubai Court of First Instance. The trio denied what they described as unfounded allegations.

‘Self-defence’

“I am guilty of beating the plaintiff. However I beat him in self-defence. Initially he beat me and I hit back,” A.H. said before presiding judge Mohammad Jamal.

When questioned by prosecutors in his description as a complainant, A.C. testified the incident happened on March 22.

“As soon as the visiting hours concluded on that day, A.H. stopped me… he talked me into escorting him to prison ward five. The other two defendants [I.A. and A.B.] were present in the cell. A friend of mine had lodged an arson complaint against A.H. The latter asked me to call my friend and ask him to waive his criminal complaint. I went and called my friend, who refused to drop his complaint. I returned to the same cell, and once I informed A.H. did not want to drop the complaint, they all ganged up against me. They beat me with their hands and wooden sticks. Then they pushed me to the floor… they removed my prison dress and I.A. touched me indecently. They filmed the assault and molestation and threatened to use the recording against me if I ever complained to the police. I reported it to the police because I was in pain and was taken to hospital,” A.C. told prosecutors.

An Emirati jailed warden testified that A.C. alleged to him that the trio filmed the act of molesting him while he was tied up.

“When I inspected the cell where the alleged assault took place, I did not find any evidence. I did not find the cloth which the plaintiff claimed that the trio had used to tie him up. When I questioned the three defendants [A.H., I.A. and A.B.] they dismissed A.C.’s allegations… however A.H. admitted that he exchanged blows with the 36-year-old,” the warden told prosecutors.

The trial continues.