Bouncer and clerk deny robbing woman of Dh5.1m

Dubai: A bouncer and a clerk have denied robbing a businesswoman of Dh5.1 million after their accomplices assaulted her in a hotel room and grabbed her money.

The 29-year-old Lebanese bouncer and 28-year-old clerk from Kyrgyzstan denied robbing the 50-year-old Kyrgyz businesswoman in collaboration with their two associates, also from Kyrgyzstan, who allegedly escaped later.

Court records show the two key defendants plotted the armed theft and pleaded not guilty when they appeared before Presiding Judge Abdul Majid Al Nezamy of the Dubai Court of First Instance.

The Public Prosecution charged the bouncer, R.A., the clerk, R.Y., with robbing the businesswoman, S.O., after the fugitives (one of whom was identified as D.T.) entered her room, attacked her and grabbed the bag after they tied her up and taped her mouth. R.Y.'s 24-year-old brother was charged with possessing part of the stolen money.

Chased

Records said the woman managed to free herself and chased the suspects to the elevator door before one of them dealt her a blow and disappeared.

"I spotted the suspects watching me when I was going to the airport to meet my compatriot and collect Dh5.1 million which I needed for my business here. In the evening one of the suspects knocked at my door and asked me in Russian if he could transfer $50,000 (Dh183,500) to the owner of a cargo company. So I let him in. Surprisingly, the escapees beat and tied me, then taped my mouth before they took the money in a bag and left. I freed my legs and chased them to the elevator where they beat me and left me," S.O. testified.

She claimed that she went down to the lobby in a second elevator and informed the police.

An Emirati police officer who questioned R.Y. quoted him as admitting that the fugitives plotted the robbery and that his role, along with R.A., was to monitor the businesswoman at the airport and drive the suspects, who later escaped, to the hotel to carry out attack.

"The clerk confessed to me that the escapees committed the robbery and we [R.A. and R.Y.] waited in the vehicle... Later they met with the escapees and split the money among themselves. R.A. also confessed to me that he was aware of the robbery," the officer said.