Lecturer stripped, robbed in massage quest

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A lecturer who went to be massaged by a belle was stripped, filmed and robbed. Female robbers went shopping with his ATM card, a jury heard on Tuesday.

Three African women – the mastermind, 29, a visitor, 30, and a fugitive countrywoman – ganged up with a male colleague, 25. They forged and used a passport to rent a flat in Jebel Ali on April 30, prosecutors explained.

They lured the Arab mathematics lecturer, 37, for a massage service, restrained him and brandished a meat cleaver and knives threatening to slay him. They snatched his Dhs1,000, bank card, ID and mobile.

They breached his privacy by misusing a mobile phone to photograph and film him naked. They threatened to publicise the content. They withdrew Dhs99,000 in cash, mobile phones and alcohol purchases.

The mastermind, visitor and colleague confessed to all counts and sought mercy. Prosecutors demanded the toughest punishment. The Criminal Court scheduled the next hearing for Oct.8 to find them a lawyer. The victim picked a massage card and contacted the provided number. He was directed to the flat. He knocked. The mastermind and visitor dragged him inside and locked it. He worriedly asked them to leave him.

The colleague put him in a chokehold. He cried for help. The mastermind brandished the cleaver threatening to slash his throat. He kept quiet and surrendered. They frisked him and snatched his cash and valuables.

They forced him to undress. The colleague grabbed his mobile phone and started filming him. He threatened to post the clip on Facebook. For fear he would lose his job, the lecturer entreated him not to publicise it.

They intimidated him into disclosing his ATM card’s PIN. Both women went to withdraw cash and do shopping. They withdrew Dhs35,000 from two machines. They bought two iPhones worth Dhs8,300 using the card.

They went to a hotel nightclub and bought alcoholic drinks worth Dhs7,000. The fugitive woman and the colleague brandished knives in his face. They dragged him into a corner. They searched his phone chat history.

They told him his WhatsApp, Facebook and email showed he was wealthy. The visitor vowed to sever his ear unless he pledged not to complain to the police. The colleague vowed to publicise the content if he did not pay him more.

The scared victim sped off in his car to Ras Al Khaimah. He was directed to Dubai Police. Two days later, the colleague sent him his photo and part of the video, demanding Dhs7,000 phone credit. Police arrested them in the nightclub.