Man sets 9 cars on fire in Dubai, gets paid Dh600

Dubai - He and several runaway fugitives set the cars ablaze.

A man in Dubai was charged with setting nine vehicles on fire in two different cases.  
In the first case, prosecutors accused the 23-year-old unemployed Asian man of pouring gasoline on one car and burning it with a lighter on July 26. The fire soon spread to the five cars around.
The cars belong to six companies. 
Upon interrogation, he confessed he had consumed alcohol on the day of the incident.
He said he poured gasoline, together with runaway fugitives, on a car then set it on fire with a cigarette lighter.
The fire quickly spread to other cars. He claimed he started the fire after an Indian man told him to do so, then paid him Dh600.
A policeman said: "Upon his arrest, the defendant admitted to being involved in other similar complaints. There were several other arson complaints with the same modus operandi. So we had a warrant issued from the public prosecution to interrogate the suspect."
The officer told the prosecutor that the defendant admitted he had set other cars on fire in the other complaints.
"He led us to where the gutted cars were parked. He confessed he had accomplices."  
A report from the general directorate of criminal evidence and criminology showed that the fire, in which six vehicles were gutted, was a deliberate act of arson.  
The defendant is facing three counts of arson in another case seen at the Court of First Instance. The case dates back to June 30 in Jebel Ali.
The court will hand down rulings on December 17 in both cases.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai