Massage spa workers jailed for bribery

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

DUBAI: An insolvent tourist caught distributing massage cards in a deluxe residential area to earn a living was on Thursday jailed with a countrywoman for bribing police officers.

The Asian defendant, 32, handed Dhs2, 000 to two police corporals who had been dispatched to arrest him. He told them to share it and let go of him. Records showed it was his countrywoman, 48, who arranged the sum.

The Dubai Criminal Court sentenced both to three months in prison and slapped each one with a Dhs5, 000 fine besides paying a sum equivalent to the bribe.

On the record, several residents in the Discovery Gardens complained to the police that someone was fixing cards on their cars daily. A watchman cornered him inside a building’s parking lot around 11pm on Dec.29.2018.

Police dispatched the Saudi corporal, 47, and his colleague to apprehend him. On taking him inside the patrol vehicle he entreated them not to take him and offered to pay them. He contacted the woman to bring the bribe.  

Before prosecutors, the defendant revealed he arrived on Dec.13 for tourism but ran out of money. A Chinese spa owner tasked him with distributing 1, 000 cards every day against a Dhs100 daily pay. He accepted to work.

He worked and earned Dhs2, 000. He was busy in the Discovery Gardens fixing cards on cars’ windows when the watchman caught him. Cops took him inside the patrol vehicle. He contacted the woman to bring the money.

The woman told prosecutors the defendant sent her the location via WeChat app. She rushed there and handed him the money.

He passed it over to the cops. The cops detained and took both to the Jebel Ali Police Station.

The corporal said, “He had a sack full of cards. He asked us to accept cash. He typed ‘Dhs1, 000’ on his mobile. We refused. He typed ‘Dhs2, 000.’ He made a call. The woman gave him the cash. He paid Dhs1, 000 to each.”