Prosecutors seek death penalty for kidnap suspects

Dubai: Prosecutors are seeking capital punishment for seven suspects who were referred to court for kidnapping a marketing manager and stealing his Dh1.3 million while they posed as policemen.

The seven Asian suspects impersonated police personnel, kidnapped the manager after they shackled and threatened to kill him before they stole his money, according to senior prosecutor Abdullah Sultan Al Sharif.

"The maximum punishment of the crime of kidnap and confining someone's freedom is capital punishment. We have referred the defendants to the Dubai Court of First Instance and asked for the implementation of the toughest punishment applicable," Al Sharif said yesterday.

One of the suspects threatened to kill the victim, who was kidnapped shortly after he withdrew the money from a local bank, according to records.

"We heard statements of prosecution witnesses and law enforcement officers … according to our findings, the suspects forged the logo of Dubai Police on documents that they used to pose as policemen and stop the manager when the incident happened," said Al Sharif.

The suspects admitted to their crime, reports said.

"We call on the public to be more vigilant and cautious when they move around and carry large amounts of money. They also need to double check the identities of any person who stops them in public," Al Sharif said.

A hearing is to be scheduled soon.