Trio jailed over risky AK47 shooting

Dubai: Prosecutors lost their appeal against three men, who will each be jailed for a year, for threatening and risking the lives of a woman and her brother by firing live bullets from an unlicensed Kalashnikov gun but acquitted of the attempted murder charge.

The Emirati trio, A.B., K.H. and A.M., illegally possessed an unlicensed AK47 [Kalashnikov] and live ammunition and threatened their countrywoman and her brother, in a bid to force them to bring his friend to drop a criminal case against K.H. last year.

The trio trespassed into the woman’s villa in Al Warqa’a and fired at the villa and wrecked the windshield of the car of the woman’s daughter with a rock.

The Dubai Appeal Court upheld a one-year imprisonment against the trio, who were convicted of threatening, possessing and using an unlicensed weapon and bullets, drinking alcohol, wrecking the villa and the car, trespassing and intentionally risking lives of others.

Presiding judge Saeed Salem Bin Sarm dismissed prosecutors’ appeal and confirmed the defendants’ acquittal of the attempted murder charge

The trio’s lawyer argued before the appellate court that his clients did not have any intention to kill or try to kill the brother.

The trio had only intended to frighten the brother in a bid to urge him to convince his friend [who had complained against K.H.] to waive his lawsuit, said the lawyer.

The Emirati brother testified that the incident happened after his friend allegedly cursed K.H.’s family.

“K.H. phoned me and asked me to bring my friend so he could beat him because he had cursed his family. I refused to bring my friend. The defendant [K.H.] constantly called me and threatened me. Three days before the shooting incident, K.H. found my friend and assaulted him … thereafter my friend immediately reported the incident to the police. K.H. called me again and asked me to convince my friend to drop his complaint and I refused. When I was sleeping at my sister’s place, the maid woke me up and informed me that someone was outside the house and they wanted to harm me. I saw a number of missed calls from K.H. on my phone. When I went down to the main hall, the police were already there. K.H. called me then and mocked me over the phone and asked me why I hadn’t brought my friend. Then he threatened me and I overheard A.B. speaking to K.H. as well. I guided the police to K.H.’s house … and then the defendants were arrested,” claimed the brother.

According to the court’s ruling, the trio had the intention of frightening the victim.

The appellate judgement remains subject to appeal before the Cassation Court within 27 days.