Duo jailed for kidnapping, robbing tourist

Dubai - They offered to drive the woman home and kidnapped her to Ajman before robbing her of cash and passport.

Two Russian men, who allegedly kidnapped a Ukrainian woman from Bur Dubai and drove all the way to Ajman where they left her on the road after taking her cash and passport, have each been sentenced to two years in jail.
The two unemployed men, aged 30 and 34, allegedly took advantage that they speak the woman's language to gain trust and fool her by a 'nice' offer to drive her home.
The Court of First Instance found them guilty of kidnap and theft charges and ordered their deportation after completing their jail terms.
The woman, 49, said that she was just 10 minutes away from her place in Al Rafaa when one of the two men approached her as she was walking home in Al Mankhoul.
"It was around 2.45am on January 13. He said he was on a visit visa and was looking for a women's clothes shop to buy some stuff for his wife. He offered to give me a ride home. I trusted him as he talked nicely and was speaking my language. We walked to a car which his friend was driving," she claimed.
When they reached her place in Al Rafaa, he suddenly pulled her hair and slapped her on the face. He then grabbed her neck and took her purse.
The duo drove for a long distance before they stopped. "They asked me for Dh5,000 and wrote an e-mail address on a piece of paper telling me to contact them and pay the money if I want my passport back," she said.
As she tore the paper, one of them slapped her. They gave her the e-mail address again on another paper and left her.
An Emirati man, who was passing by, stopped for her and drove her home. She learnt from him that she was in Ajman. She reported her kidnappers to the police.
The police arrested the two accused in a flat in Ajman, based on the woman's descriptions. They admitted to having lured the woman to ride with them and then kidnapped her. The two also admitted that they stole Dh400 and the woman's passport and mobile phone.
The ruling may be appealed.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai