Illegal resident jailed for impersonation

Two passersby helped arrest a man trying to force a woman into his vehicle. The man, who claimed to be a policeman, was jailed.

The woman, a 43-year-old Uzbek national, cried out for help as her assailant tried to pull her into the car. Two passersby rushed to her assistance and caught hold of the assailant, a 30-year-old Egyptian national.

The Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced the accused to three months in jail, a Dh1,000 fine, and deportation for impersonation and illegally residing in the country.

According to police reports, on May 23, the victim was walking with an Uzbek girlfriend in Al Asbaj area. Suddenly, the accused drove towards the two women and tried to run them over.

The Egyptian apparently got mad because he missed them, so he parked his car and ran towards his victim and then tried to force her into his car.

The victim cried out for help and she was lucky that two young UAE nationals were passing by at that moment.

The accused claimed he was a policeman working for the IT department at Dubai Police headquarters, and asked them not to interfere.

One of the two UAE nationals, who was a real police officer, showed his badge and asked the Egyptian to show his ID. When the Egyptian refused, the nearest police patrol was contacted and he was arrested.

The Uzbek woman told the police that the accused used to call her on her mobile and had threatened to kill her. She said that he had tried to force her into his car three separate times, but she always refused.

She claimed the Egyptian had once showed up at her home trying to convince her to visit him in his apartment, but she refused.

The Egyptian denied all the charges and claimed that a day before the incident, as he stepped out of a restaurant, he met the Uzbek woman who was standing in the street with her friend. He alleged that she had stopped him and offered to send some girls to his flat, but he refused.

The accused claimed that when he refused the victim's offer, she started cursing and insulting him, so he informed the police.