Trio fined Dhs300,000 for street gambling

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

Three unemployed men who were caught red-handed managing a gambling game must pay a Dhs100,000 fine each, the Dubai Appeals Court decided on Wednesday.

The Asian mastermind, 43, colleague, 41, and countryman, 23, organised the playing cards game inside a residential area’s alley on Feb.3. They set an ironing table in the open area and called upon passersby to play. They were collecting money from losers and rewarding winners, while bagging proceeds. The Dubai Criminal Court on April 29 sentenced them to three months in prison and ordered them to jointly pay Dhs100, 000.

Prosecutors appealed seeking a tougher punishment. The Dubai Appeals Court modified the ruling and slapped each one with a Dhs100,000 fine. It also ordered the trio be deported after serving the punishment. On the record, a Yemeni sergeant and a compatriot corporal narrated that an informer alerted the criminal investigations management of Al Rifa’a Police Station that a gang of Asians was running a gambling game.

He directed both cops to the scene. They learnt that the area’s inhabitants felt uncomfortable with people crowding in the alley to indulge in gambling. Both cops told the informer to alert them when the game is running.  They wanted to arrest the organisers red-handed. Shortly afterwards, he summoned them. They spotted the three defendants managing the game. They had placed playing cards on the ironing table. They also had an electric lamp.

Both cops stormed the scene and apprehended the defendants. The participants upon seeing this dispersed and disappeared from the scene. The mastermind confessed and testified against the colleague and countryman.

Both cops confiscated the table, lamp and some Dhs300 worth gambling proceeds. They frisked the mastermind and seized eight playing cards plus Dhs100. The mastermind’s colleague and countryman denied any role.

“Their denials are fruitless because we caught them red-handed surrounded by gambling participants,” the sergeant stressed before prosecutors. The corporal seconded the sergeant’s testimony before prosecutors.