Man cleared of barging into Dubai firm, threatening staff

Dubai - He demanded funds be deposited in his bank account.

A legal consultant was cleared on Wednesday by the Dubai Court of First Instance of the charges of trespassing into a private company and threatening to have four people jailed unless they met his demands.

Public prosecution records show that the 39-year-old consultant, a British, issued the threats against the four persons after he barged into the private business premises, which is a metal inspection laboratory. His demand was that funds be deposited in his bank account.

Apart from threats and blackmail, the consultant was also accused of trespassing into the company’s premises. He got inside the manager’s office and sat there without authorisation.

A complaint was filed at Naif police station.

The owner’s 32-year-old housewife, an Asian, said that the defendant was at the company run by her husband in Al Ras area around 5pm on March 7. “He began talking to some staff and threatening them. A supervisor called me to tell me that the consultant threatened to have them jailed if funds were not deposited in his bank account.”

She recounted in front of the prosecution investigator how she told the supervisor to pass his mobile phone so she could talk to the defendant. “The defendant then threatened me that he would get us jailed if the company’s funds were not put in his account.”

An Asian staff member, 36, confirmed the testimony of the owner’s wife. “The defendant did not specify the amounts he wanted nor did he say to whom those amounts belonged.”

The same employee told the investigator that the consultant walked into the manager’s office and sat there without being given permission.

The verdict may be appealed by the public prosecution.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai