Dubai: A gang of three Ethiopian men have been accused of attacking the Dubai-based secretary of a company and stealing Dh160,000 belonging to the company.
The Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Tuesday that the 31-year-old Filipina was ordered by her company to encash a cheque for her company. After she had encashed the cheque and was out of the bank, she was attacked by the robbers in the Al Quoz area of Dubai in February this year.
“The company’s driver had stopped near a supermarket to fetch something and left me alone in the car with the envelop of cash. Three men suddenly opened the door and tried to snatch the envelop,” said the Filipina woman on record.
She resisted them until they pushed her outside the car and ripped the envelop.
A man who was passing by came to her rescue, but the defendants managed to flee in a car waiting nearby.
“They ran away with Dh160,000 but the man [who rescued me] took down the plate number of the vehicle.”
The Pakistani driver of the company vehicle testified that he had stopped by to buy something from a supermarket when he heard the woman screaming for help.
“I saw her resisting the men. I rushed to help her, but they escaped in a car,” said the Pakistani driver.
After an intensive investigation, Dubai Police found that two of the defendants were trying to leave the country illegally through the Oman borders. “We Located the defendants in the Deira area and they were arrested. These two defendants used to monitor bank customers, while the third defendant, who is still at large, used to rent a car for these crimes,” said the policeman on record.
Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the defendants with robbery.
The next hearing is scheduled for July 13.
