Massage gang caught in Dubai Police raid jailed

Dubai - A member of the group fell to her death as she tried to escape arrest.

Two women and three men, all Africans, have each been sentenced to three years in prison after they were found guilty of locking up a man in an apartment and robbing him of cash.

All five defendants will be deported at the end of their jail terms and after paying a Dh6,800 fine each, the Dubai Court of First Instance ruled.

The case dates back to November 7 last year, when a woman fell to her death while trying to escape a police raid. She was a member of the group that illegally held the complainant in a hotel apartment.

The group - whose members are between the age of 22 and 37 - lured a British man into the unit by offering massage through a fake social media account of a woman.

They booked a hotel apartment and when the man arrived at the location, they cornered him, tied him up, and grabbed his belongings. They robbed him of Dh1,800 worth of cash and mobile phone.

A police sergeant said he and a colleague were on a routine patrol duty in Al Barsha when they spotted police cars and two ambulances outside a building. "We learnt about an assault on police officers and an incident where a woman fell from a building. We went upstairs and talked to a police officer, who was then holding an ice bag to his face."

The officer who was already on the scene had responded to a call made by an Indian man. The latter had seen an ad on his friend's mobile phone, which offered massage services. He quickly recognised the phone number as the same one that got him robbed.

The Indian man, who did not report the incident then, decided to call the police to help his friend and led them to the apartment of the group.

The sergeant, who was assaulted, told the investigator: "We went to check the place after the call. We had a security guard ring the bell. The witness (the Indian man) identified the suspect who opened the door as a member of the group that previously robbed him in Al Rafaa.

"The suspect assaulted us while resisting arrest. He punched me in the right eye. Other suspects tried to flee but one of them fell to her death. Her accomplices were found hiding in the balcony of another flat and were caught."

The police rescued the British man who was found locked up in the bathroom of the apartment.

Another defendant suffered major fractures and called for help as he could no longer bear the pain. He was found hiding in the basement a few hours later.

The ruling can be appealed.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai