Dubai: A jobless man has been accused of robbing Dh200,000 from a salesman at knifepoint after he attacked him inside an elevator.

The 23-year-old Uzbek man, A.C., was said to have followed the Indian salesman from his company to the building where he lives, where he assaulted him and took his money after pointing a knife at his neck in May.

Records said when the salesman kept a firm hold of the moneybag, the suspect stabbed him and punched him in his face.

Prosecutors accused A.C. of theft, assault, and entering the country illegally after he had been deported earlier and staying herein without proper documents.

The suspect pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the defendant waited for the salesman to walk into the elevator before he attacked him and stole the money [in different currencies].

The Indian salesman claimed to prosecutors that the incident happened after his manager gave him different currencies and asked him to change them to dirhams.

“I had a total of Dh200,000 in the bag. When I reached the money exchange, it was closed. So I decided to go home and change the currencies later in the afternoon while heading back to work. I took the lift and the suspect came in too. He did not get out at the second floor and the lift went up to the third floor. When I was about to walk out, the suspect grabbed the bag and prevented me from leaving. I held on to the bag and tried to prevent him from taking it away … suddenly he took out a knife and threatened me. I refused to let go of the bag and, when he tried to stab me in my stomach, I moved aside and held his hand … he injured my hand. Then he punched me in my face. When the lift reached the ground floor, the suspect ran away and I tried to follow him but I fainted and fell down on the pavement,” he testified.

A policeman testified to prosecutors that primary interrogations led to A.C.’s arrest.

“During questioning, he alleged that his desperate situation had forced him to steal and wire the money to his family in Uzbekistan. He also admitted that he threw away the knife,” said the policeman.

A ruling will be heard in January.