Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A gang of five men chilli-sprayed a wealthy man and decamped with his Dhs1,850,000 and iPhone, the Dubai Criminal Court heard on Sunday.

The Arab defendants –a sales executive, 22, a visitor, 25, an employee, 24, his workmate, 27 and an unemployed countryman, 41, forcibly robbed the Sudanese victim, 43, at a street in Al Baraha area on Aug.5, records showed.

The first four confessed. The countryman denied, “I have nothing to do with the case. I was framed” The executive said, “He was the one who directed us to the victim and told us that the victim had a bag full of money.”

The countryman claimed, “I was drawn into the case on grounds I stayed on the same building with the workmate.”

The workmate said, “He is a liar.” The other defendants told the jury the countryman was the mastermind.

In prosecution records, the victim narrated that on the date of the incident he walked out of his workplace at a Dubai company on his way home. “I was carrying a bag containing the money and my golden iPhone,” he said.

“All of a sudden, someone struck me on the back. I turned and saw three men. One of them sprayed a hot pepper solution in my face. They grabbed the bag. I tried to resist but they overpowered me and fled.”

The victim tried to run after the gang to no avail. He added that the gang also decamped with his two notebooks. He complained to Al Muraqqabat Police Station.

An Emirati lieutenant said police conducted investigations and discovered the defendants were behind the street robbery. Police traced and nabbed them one after the other. During interrogations, they confessed.

Investigators combed the workmate’s apartment and recovered Dhs1, 750, 640. They also seized new items and receipts. He revealed he had purchased them using part of the stolen money. A medical report showed the victim sustained injuries as a result of the assault. The ruling will be on Oct.20.