DUBAI // A man who threatened to kill the children of his business partner has been sentenced to three months in prison.
ZM, 23, from Syria, sent text messages to HH, 37, from the UK, warning him that he knew where his children's school was located and that he would kill both the businessman and his children.
The Briton told the Criminal Court that the Syrian had convinced him the two should partner in a business purchasing and selling diesel. He said they could take advantage of his father's contacts.
"He told me his father was a businessman and owned a real estate company and a number of villas in Abu Dhabi," recalled the Briton.
"He claimed the man who was going to sell us the fuel was his father's partner. Shortly after we started the business I was surprised to find that he took my share from the profits."
He tried to confront the Syrian, but on March 10 last year was sent the threatening text messages, one of which warned: "If you call, I will kill you".
Another text message said: "To lose money is better than losing yourself and your family, my advice to you if you wanted to live safely with your family is to keep your mouth shut and never try to call or send a message."