Indian businessman robbed of Dh190,000 by a gang of Ethiopian men in Dubai

Dubai: A Dubai businessman was attacked by a group of men after he withdrew Dh190,000 from a bank, the Dubai Court of First Instance heard.

The 69-year-old Indian businessman said that he went to a local bank in the Al Qusais area of Dubai to withdraw the cash.

“The money was to be used to pay the workers’ salaries. As I stepped out of the bank and was approaching my car, which was parked 40 metres away, a group of people attacked me. They punched me in the face and chest. They knocked me down and someone snatched the money from me and escaped,” said the businessman on official record.

A policeman who was patrolling the area saw two people attacking the victim.

The 54-year-old policeman then saw the defendants escaping in a car. He chased them, before taking pictures of the car, and called the force’s command room.

“The driver jumped on to the pavement and reversed the vehicle to the road on the opposite side. Meanwhile, I returned to check on the victim, who told me that the gang had stolen his money,” said the Emirati policeman on record.

Later, Dubai Police identified and arrested the Ethiopian defendants. The defendants admitted to monitoring bank customers and saw the victim stepping out of the bank carrying a white envelope. They then surrounded the victim, attacked him and ran away with his money.

Dubai Police said the defendants, who were identified through CCTV footage, were walking around other banks after the incident in order to target other victims.

The gang used to pass the stolen cash to a countrywoman, who used to remit the funds outside the country.

The eight Ethiopian men were charged with robbery and assaulting the victim.

A verdict is expected on July 6.