Dubai: Five jobless men have been accused of breaking into a villa and stealing Dh1 million worth of gold jewellery and cash after wrecking doors, windows and wardrobes.
Two Sudanese suspects, T.A. and M.M., were said to have provided logistical support to the five Colombian men, G.A., F.S., J.A., J.B. and C.K., who broke into the villa in Jumeirah in June.
The Sudanese duo rented a flat for the five Colombians who used it as a base to set up their plans and break into several villas and carry out their heists, said records.
Prosecutors charged the seven defendants with forcing their way into the villa and stealing Dh1 million worth of valuables.
The five Colombians pleaded not guilty and denied their accusations before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Thursday.
T.A. and M.M. refused to be brought from their detention to stand trial.
According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the suspects formed a gang, rented a flat from where they ran their criminal operations, trespassed into the villa and stole cash and valuables.
“We have been involved in a case before and currently we are serving a five-year imprisonment each. We did not commit this heist. Law enforcement officers beat us and tortured us and coerced us to sign written confessions that we had committed this crime … but we did not do it,” G.A. told presiding judge Ali Abdul Wahhab.
In February, the seven defendants were jailed for five years each for stealing Dh450,000 worth of gold items, Dh250,000 worth of wristwatches and Dh66,000 in cash from a villa in Nad Al Hammar.
A Pakistani housewife claimed to prosecutors that the burglars broke into her villa and stole Dh100,000 in cash, Dh300,000 worth of diamonds, Dh150,000 worth of gold wristwatches and other valuables and important papers that were in the safe.
Her daughter-in-law claimed to prosecutors that her husband called her from abroad and informed her that his mother’s villa had been burgled.
“I rushed to my mother-in-law’s villa and discovered that the suspects had broken the doors and windows through which they trespassed into the residence and carried out their heist,” she testified.
A police sergeant claimed to prosecutors that primary interrogations revealed the involvement of the suspects, who were apprehended shortly after that.
“During questioning, the Sudanese suspects alleged that they burgled a number of villas along with the Colombians. T.A. and M.M. claimed during questioning that the other suspects carried the stolen valuables and fled to Oman. We communicated with the Omani police who arrested the five Colombians,” he testified.
A ruling will be heard on June 13.