Jobless man assaults Dubai supervisor with cricket bat

Dubai - The suspect faces theft and assault charges; stole the Pakistani's mobile phone, Dh2,500 and credit cards.

A jobless man has been accused with stealing and hitting a supervisor with a cricket bat after he refused to help workers earn their daily wages, a Dubai court heard on Monday.
 
The 29-year-old Bangladeshi allegedly hit the 27-year-old Pakistani supervisor and stole his mobile phone, Dh2,500 and seven credit cards that belonged to the company's laborers.
 
The suspect faces theft and assault charges.
 
According to court records, the Pakistani victim said he was at the labour accommodation in Al Muhaisnah 2 when a worker knocked on his car. "When I rolled down the car window, he snatched my mobile phone. I got out of the car, and then the suspect hit me with a cricket bat from the back. I fell unconscious but spotted other workers standing and carrying sticks," the victim told prosecutors.
 
A Sudanese senior supervisor had testified that an hour before the incident, he got a call from the manager saying that a group of workers gathered and wanted to assault the victim because he didn't help them get their daily wage.
 
"I called the victim as I left my Abu Dhabi office and headed to Dubai to resolve the issue. He told me that he went to the accommodation to request the labourers to go back to work, but they refused. He added that they were carrying sticks and threatened to hit him if he didn't leave the accommodation at once," the senior supervisor told prosecutors.
 
When he arrived at the accommodation, he spotted an ambulance that was providing aid to the victim.
 
Forensic reports showed the victim sustained injuries on his face and lower back.
 
The suspect pleaded not guilty when before the Dubai Court of First Instance. "I didn't attack him. There was a fight in the company and I intervened to resolve it," the suspect told the judge.
 
A ruling of the case will be read on July 30.
 
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai