Businessman, workers caged for beating clients

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A gaming hub owner and his workers who kidnapped and battered clients for installing decryption software in his gaming devices will spend three months in the dock.

The Asian businessman, 32, and his workers –a visitor, 33, and his peer, 37- with the help of other gang members abducted the Chinese victim, 54, and his compatriot friend, 40, at around 9:30pm on Feb.27.

This happened at the businessman’s electronic games hub in the International City’s Chinese Cluster. The businessman and his workers insisted the duo installed decryption software targeting a gambling game.

The businessman seized the victim and his workers rained punches and kicks on his body parts.

The victim’s friend tried to rescue him. They smashed his phone. They took both away while threatening to kill them.

They threatened to bury them in the desert unless they paid Dhs100, 000. The trio confessed during prosecution questioning. The Dubai Criminal Court has ordered they be deported after the prison term.

In prosecution records, the victim said he paid Dhs200. “I and my friend were playing when I heard someone ordering us to get out. I ignored him. Suddenly, the businessman slapped my neck from behind. I fell down.

“He told me the slap was a reward for having declined to obey him. The defendants and other men kicked me. My friend tried to help me get up. The visitor grabbed his phone and smashed it on the ground.

“He punched my left cheek and eye. They seized me and shoved me inside a car.” They also dragged and shoved his friend inside. They drove around for 40 minutes while threatening to kill them and bury them.

They confined them to a room for an hour. The friend gave a similar complaint. An Emirati policeman said the businessman upon arrest said the duo caused him loses after installing a decryption programme for a gambling game in his devices.