Expatriate in Dubai beaten up for refusing to hide alcohol bottles

Dubai: Two Nepali bootleggers have been sentenced to six months in jail and fined Dh10,000 for assaulting their countryman because he had refused to hide their stash of bottles.

The Dubai Court of First Instance heard earlier that the 39-year-old Nepali cleaner claimed that he was near the Al Shindagha area in May this year when the 35-year-old defendant approached him with a bag, asking him to keep it with him.

“I didn’t know what was inside the bag. So I opened it and saw bottles in it. I refused to keep the bag and returned it to him. But he insisted that I keep the bag with me, claiming that police were on the lookout for him for bootlegging,” said the Nepali victim on record.

The victim said he kept refusing to keep the bag and even threatened to call the police.

Then the second defendant and a group of four men arrived and attacked the victim. “They assaulted me, causing severe injuries to my nose and jaw, and escaped,” the victim said.

Dubai Police arrested the Nepali defendant and his 29-year-old compatriot.

Medical reports revealed that the victim had suffered 15 per cent permanent disability to his jaw and had difficulties chewing.

Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the defendants with physically assaulting the victim and causing 15 per cent permanent disability.

The court ordered to deport the defendants after serving their jail term.

The verdict stands subject to appeal within 15 days.