Trio 'posed as policemen and extorted Dh70,000 from saleswoman'

Dubai: Three men have denied kidnapping a saleswoman and forcing her to sign a promissory note for Dh70,000 if she did not want to be reported as a prostitute.

Records said one of the Palestinian suspects invited the 33-year-old Egyptian woman to dinner in Jumeirah. The woman said he drove her to Jumeirah beachside and they chatted in the car. Meanwhile his associates opened the car door, posed as policemen and extorted from her the promissory note after they threatened to jail her for working in the sex industry.

The Public Prosecution charged the Palestinian suspects, 33-year-old engineer T.A. and his 26-year-old brother S.A. and 28-year-old employee L.N. with forging and using police IDs, kidnapping the woman with deception, extorting and obtaining the promissory note from her. S.A. and L.N. were charged with impersonating policemen, stealing the woman's Dh300 and obtaining the note under threat. The engineer was solely charged with aiding and abetting S.A. and L.N.

They pleaded not guilty before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.