Dubai: A gang of three men have gone on trial accused of stealing Dh457,000 from a businessman in a gold buy scam, a Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Sunday.
In December of last year, the Emirati victim asked his friend to find gold merchants so he could buy some gold.
The man’s friend contacted a Sri Lankan middleman who posted an online ad asking for gold to buy.
“Someone from the US contacted me claiming that they had gold to sell in Dubai. I contacted another man in the country who asked me to come to an office to check the gold and bring the money to buy it,” said the Sri Lankan man in court.
He went to an office in the Al Muraqabbat area of Deira with the Emirati businessman and his friend to buy the gold from the 31-year-old defendant from Senegal.
The Emirati checked the six gold bars and gave Dh457,000 in advance for the gold before the other two defendants attacked the office.
“The man was checking the money when two men raided the office asking us to drop our phones. They claimed that they were policemen and threatened to assault us with a taser-gun. They stole the money and escaped,” said the Emirati victim in court records.
Dubai Police arrested the 36-year-old Emirati defendant and the 34-year-old Indian defendant who raided the office.
The Emirati defendant admitted to helping the Indian and the defendant from Senegal in their scam. He said that the Indian defendant was threatening the victims with a taser-gun and stole the money and the six gold bars.
Dubai Public Prosecution charged the defendants with illegally locking the victims inside the office and stealing the money.
The trial has been delayed until March 24 to prepare the defence.
