Dubai: A police lieutenant colonel, six lieutenants and six officers have been referred to court on charges of using torture and extensive beatings during an interrogation which allegedly led to the death of a Pakistani man and left two others with injuries.
Prosecutors levelled a number of charges against the 13 Dubai Police personnel, varying from abuse of power, unlawful detention of the deceased B.K. and his two compatriots, torture, extensive use of force during interrogation, forgery and giving a false statement during official questioning by a public prosecutor.
Dubai Police's forensic doctor testified that B.K. died after being badly beaten which left him with acute bleeding in his brain.
B.K.'s injured compatriots were identified as S.H., 38, and M.S., 33.
According to the forensic doctor's prosecution statement, M.S. sustained burns which were caused by a chemical substance used to remove rust.
"There were bruises, cuts and injuries over different parts of his body as well. Due to the severe and extensive beating, M.S. suffered a critical kidney failure. Meanwhile S.H. was beaten by hands and ghutras [head dress cord worn by local men] and kicked," the doctor claimed.
The 13 suspects, including nine Emiratis, two Pakistanis and two Omanis, are scheduled to appear before the Dubai Court of First Instance on May 31.
Illegal detention
According to the charges sheet, prosecutors accused the brigadier, four lieutenants and four officers, with unlawfully locking up B.K. in Naif police station.
Records said B.K., M.S. and S.H. were allegedly wanted for an investigation related to a kidnapping case that caused death.
Dubai Police Chief Lieutenant General Dahi Khalfan Tamim earlier told Gulf News that if the investigation uncovered negligence or culpability, those involved would have to face the law.
Prosecutors charged three officers with torturing and using extensive force which led to B.K.'s death. A lieutenant and an officer were charged with beating and torturing M.S. to force him to confess as they sought to extract information concerning the kidnapping case.
Meanwhile, two officers and a lieutenant were accused of torturing S.H. and forcing him to confess and give information about wanted suspects involved in the kidnap case. One lieutenant was charged with forging a police report by tampering with the dates of detaining M.S. and S.H. A lieutenant was charged with falsely testifying before a prosecutor and claiming that M.S. and S.H. were arrested on a date different from the real date of arrest.
An Eritrean ambulance paramedic testified that she and her colleagues were asked to head to Naif police station because there was a problem. "We were not informed what happened. When we reached there, I saw B.K. on the floor. He had bruises on his body. He was already dead although we tried to resuscitate him and gave him five electric shocks… but it was too late."
