DUBAI // Two men kidnapped two women and robbed them after demanding a Dh2,000 ransom from their visa sponsor, a Dubai court heard this morning.
The men denied the charges before the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance.
Prosecutors said the defendants EA, 32, and MB, 35, both Egyptians, approached the two women as they were walking in the Naif area at around 8pm one night in September of last year, and the men posed as police officers.
They asked for the women's IDs and told them they had to go with them to the police station because they were violating residency regulations by staying in the country for too long, prosecutors said.
The men allegedly transported the two victims in a Nissan Sunny car, and locked them up in a studio flat.
The Ugandan victim WN, 20, and PO, 26, from Nigeria, told prosecutors that when they arrived at the flat, the defendants threatened to kill them while carrying cleavers and knives. Then, they called the women's sponsor and asked her for a Dh2,000 ransom to let them go, prosecutors said. The sponsor did not pay the ransom.
However, two hours later, the men let the victims go after stealing their two mobile phones and Dh50 from their bags, prosecutors said.
The women filed a report at the Naif police station. Police searched the flat and arrested the men.
The next hearing will be on May 11 to appoint a defense lawyer.
salamir@thenational.ae
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The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
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Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
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Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
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Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
