Dubai: One of the accused in the Wafi City Mall robbery, who is currently detained at Al Rifaa police station since he was extradited from the Netherlands in February, told Gulf News that he had never travelled to Dubai before.
Braghan Georges, 27, a Serb, is on trial in Dubai for his role in 2007 jewellery heist. However, Georges claims that he has never been outside Europe.
"I used to live illegally in Holland. I went to Holland through Europe and I infiltrate[d] to Amsterdam," he said. "I lived over there since 2005. I was arrested in Amsterdam as I was driving a rented car.
"A man from my own country in Holland asked me to go to Rotterdam to bring the car," he said.
He added that he had brought the car and was arrested on his way back.
Amsterdam police found in the car credit cards, which were used in Dubai.
"The credit cards belonged to a Serbian woman who was with the robbers of Wafi. The woman is the one who rented the car. She ran away," he claimed.
Georges claimed that he did not know the woman who rented the car.
"I went on trial in Amsterdam and was declared innocent twice. After my trial I was extradited to Dubai," he said.
In retrospect: How it unfolded
Below is a sequence of events centering on the daring robbery:
- April 15: Armed men burst into Graff jewellery store in Wafi City Mall and make off with a big amount of jewellery.
- April 28: Police arrest one of two suspects assigned to leave the country with the jewellery. He is arrested as he sat in a car. Jewellery worth Dh14.7 million is recovered.
- April 29: Police announce the arrest of three suspects and say the hunt is on for other suspects.
