Men accused of stealing Dh128,000 from Canadian tourist, Dubai court told

DUBAI // Three men attacked a tourist and robbed him of Dh128,556 after he refused to take part in a gold-selling racket, a court has heard.

Y Q, the Canadian visitor, was in Dubai last May to meet the three Cameroonian nationals to discuss a partnership in a gold-trading business.

“I met them in Al Muraqqabat on May 21 this year and they said they would be bringing gold to the country and I would be selling it,” he said.

He said he told them that he would not take any gold unless it was brought through proper channels and had all of the necessary documents and permits.

The Canadian said the three did not like his response.

“At that moment one of them pulled my laptop bag but a security guard in the place interfered and kicked the men out,” he said.

He said that a few days later, as he was walking to his hotel room, the three attacked him and stole his bag, which contained cash, a laptop, his passport, a mobile phone and documents.

E T, 27, M F, 26, and P K, 22, have been charged with robbery.

“That’s not true, I did not take part in the robbery. I was the one who returned his bag to him,” E T told the court.

His compatriots confessed to stealing the man’s bag but told judges that it contained books and there was no cash.

The next hearing at Dubai Criminal Court is scheduled for August 23.

salamir@thenational.ae