The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A construction site labourer tried to kidnap a 4-year-old boy from a Dubai street. He was indicted on Sunday.

The Asian defendant, 32, snatched the Arab boy at around 6pm on Feb.21. He pressed the boy’s face against his chest to stop him from resisting and suppress his screams for help. He ran away with him until inside an alley.

The boy’s aunt ran after him and forced him place the boy down. Al Barsha Police Station cops nabbed him. He denied the charge at the Criminal Court. Prosecutors demanded a tough punishment. The ruling will be on May 21.

In prosecution records, the boy’s Tunisian aunt, 34, said she was with her sister’s children (the boy and his sister, 3) at the playground of a residential complex in Al Barsha when the boy rode his bike to the end of the playground.

“He started riding through pathways near a building under construction. I followed him to bring him back.

“The defendant suddenly showed up from the building, grabbed the boy, pressed the latter’s face against his chest and ran.    

“I shouted at him but he did not stop. He fled until he entered a nearby alley. I ran after him while shouting. A watchman followed pursuit. We were about to reach him when he placed the boy down. The boy looked very scared.

“The watchman seized the defendant. I asked him why he had carried and ran away with the boy.

“He claimed that the latter poured water at the construction site.” The defendant managed to escape from the scene before police could arrive.

Meanwhile, the aunt having photographed him with her mobile phone provided police with his photo. Police nabbed him later. He was inebriated. He denied having tried to kidnap the boy. He contended the boy poured a bucket of water at the site where he worked. And that he only shouted at him and chased him away.