A 36-year-old British tourist is accused of kidnapping a man and locking him up in an effort to reclaim money he was owed, a court has heard.
Prosecutors told Dubai Criminal Court that the accused enticed his victim to fly out to Dubai from an unknown country before taking him to a hotel room and refusing to let him leave.
During the 24-hour ordeal, the defendant allegedly threatened to kill the man unless he handed over money or agreed to give up ownership of a real estate unit in Dubai.
He was later arrested after the victim's brother - who was also threatened by the defendant in a phone call - alerted police.
“I met a woman online about six months before the incident but I later discovered it was the defendant,” the victim told the court in a statement.
“He took me to a hotel room where I was told I'd be held hostage until my brother paid a ransom from the UK.
“The kidnapper said my brother owed him money and unless he paid him back, I would be killed. He then called my bother and told him exactly the same thing."
The incident happened in a hotel room in the Al Qusais area of Dubai on June 3 this year.
Officers were called to the scene after the victim's brother contacted a relative living in Dubai and told him to phone the police.
“We arrested the defendant at the hotel's reception and he admitted he'd posed as a woman to lure the victim into the country and force his brother to pay for his release,” an officer told the court.
The defendant, who has not been named, denies kidnapping and issuing death threats. He told the hearing: “It's not true - I didn't lock him up.
"I politely asked him and his bother to give me my money back.”
The case was adjourned until August 12.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
EXPATS
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BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
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Specs
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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Results
6.30pm Madjani Stakes Rated Conditions (PA) I Dh160,000 I 1,900m I Winner: Mawahib, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer)
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10pm Handicap I Dh160,000 I 1,600m I Winner Sea Skimmer, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
Indian origin executives leading top technology firms
Sundar Pichai
Chief executive, Google and Alphabet
Satya Nadella
Chief executive, Microsoft
Ajaypal Singh Banga
President and chief executive, Mastercard
Shantanu Narayen
Chief executive, chairman, and president, Adobe
Indra Nooyi
Board of directors, Amazon and former chief executive, PepsiCo
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Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5