Dubai: A visitor, who deliberately started a fire at Dubai Bowling Centre and wrecked the fitness hall after he was refused employment at the gym, has been jailed for three months.
The 27-year-old Egyptian visitor, M.M., stormed into the Bowling Centre and intentionally started the fire and destroyed different parts of the gym in February.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted M.M. of arson and damaging private property after he pleaded guilty.
“I started the fire and damaged the place,” he told the court earlier.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the accused will be deported after serving his jail term.
M.M. used a lighter to start the fire, according to records, and used knuckle-dusters to destroy mirrors, chairs, doors, tables, the washroom, TV screens, a laptop and other devices, causing damage worth Dh156,000.
The Bowling Centre’s Indian security guard said he spotted the suspect damaging the gymnasium at 2am.
“I saw him when he was in the weightlifting hall destroying chairs and screens and other stuff. He also drenched the chairs with a flammable material and used a lighter to start a fire … when I failed to stop him, I called the police,” he testified.
“Part of the place was still on fire when we entered the gymnasium and apprehended M.M. He wore knuckle-dusters. The fire was put out. Upon questioning the suspect, he claimed that he came to Dubai on a visit visa and had worked for a while at the gymnasium. When his supervisor at the sporting hall refused to amend his visa status, according to M.M.’s allegations, and issue a work visa for him to work regularly, he decided to destroy the gym. He claimed that he was forced to pay his fines after he flouted the visa rules,” a police corporal testified.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
