Dubai pilot robbed after being lured to date by gang on WhatsApp

A 26-year-old man allegedly posed as an ‘American woman’ to lure a pilot for a date, before his gang assaulted and robbed the latter, a Dubai court has heard.

The Dubai Court of First Instance heard that the Nigerian accused and his gang stripped the complainant naked and threatened him with a hot iron, before withdrawing Dh19,454 from his bank cards.

The case dates back to June 4 and was registered at Bur Dubai police station.

The complainant, a 47-year-old Turkish pilot, said he met a ‘woman’ on WhatsApp. “She introduced herself as an American and invited me to have a cup of tea with her.”

When he went to meet her, a woman opened the door for him. “When I asked her about the woman I was supposed to meet, I was told she was inside, waiting for me. She locked the door and I was attacked by four men and four women. They all punched and slapped me and undressed me. They snatched my mobile phone.”

The complainant said he revealed his bank card PIN after one of the women “threatened to burn me” with a hot iron. They fled the scene after withdrawing cash from his account.

“They kept me in a room as they left the flat. When I felt they were gone, I went out for help and lodged a complaint at the police station.”

The complainant identified four members of the gang later. The four accused reportedly admitted they had planned to rob the complainant by luring him into their apartment.

The other accomplices, who had been convicted, were sentenced to three years in jail each, fines and deportation.

The defendant is in detention, awaiting a ruling that will be handed down on November 30.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi