Lawyer urges Dubai court to drop kidnap case

Dubai: A lawyer has sought the dismissal of criminal cases filed against a 28-year-old Bangladeshi man, arguing that there was no sufficient evidence to back the charges.

The defendant, identified as M.S., was accused of kidnapping a fellow Bangladeshi and of operating a brothel. M.S. pleaded not guilty to the charges.

"This case is unreasonable and based on unfounded and groundless evidence. M.S. was accused of running a flat as a brothel… how could that be, when no prostitutes were found. Police raided [the] so-called brothel that turned out to be an ordinary residence and not a single prostitute was found," defence lawyer Eisa Bin Haidar argued before Presiding Judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi of the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday. Bin Haidar was appointed by the court to serve as the defendant's counsel at yesterday's hearing after M.S. appeared with no lawyer.

After reading the case file, Bin Haidar asked the court to dismiss the charges filed against M.S. and argued that his client's rights were violated after the police unlawfully carried out law enforcement procedures.

Against procedures

"According to the case file, M.C. [the alleged kidnap victim] was deported two days after the complaint was lodged. The law enforcement procedures were carried out unlawfully. Police said when the suspect was arrested, he confessed to his charges… later on they said he retracted his confession. Moreover he was detained for more than 48 hours before being referred to the Public Prosecution. This is against the criminal procedures. The case lacks any concrete or corroborated evidence. I ask the court to acquit M.S.," Bin Haidar said.

According to the charge sheet, M.S. allegedly kidnapped 24-year-old M.C. and demanded Dh15,000 ransom for his release. He was also charged with running a brothel.

In his testimony, M.C. told prosecutors that M.S. asked him over the phone to meet him in a flat in Naif area. "When I arrived, M.S. and his friend Z.A. beat me. Then they confined me in the bathroom for four days. They threatened not to release me unless I paid them Dh15000. when I asked them why they locked me up, they said because I reported them to the police that they run a brothel," M.C. claimed.

A police lieutenant testified that M.C. was released following a sting operation during which M.S. was arrested. The court is expected to hand down its verdict on March 18.