Photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

Three thieves attacked a gardener with a cricket bat and robbed him for tipping police about them. They have been referred to the Dubai Criminal Court.

The Asian cleaner, 23, colleague, 21, and unemployed countryman, 24, lured the Pakistani victim, 32, from his room in Al Satwa area for a discussion on the evening of May 10. They took him to a nearby sandy lot.

They punched and kicked him. The countryman whacked him with a cricket bat. They stole his Dh10 wallet containing Dhs5,400, an Emirates ID, a driving licence, a car ownership certificate and an ATM card.

They also made off with his two mobile phones, one of which was worth Dhs580. He complained to the Bur Dubai Police Station. Prosecutors demand a rigorous punishment. Hearing continues on Oct.30.

The gardener narrated that he was home when three men arrived and called him outside for a discussion. They went with him to the sandy lot. They reminded him a time when he alerted police about a theft.

“They told me they wanted to assault me for having contacted the police. They hit me on various parts of my body. One used a cricket bat. I failed to resist,” he said. They fled upon seeing his roommate coming.

He checked himself and realised they fled with his items. His roommate said, “I was heading home when I spotted three men assaulting another man. One of the attackers was striking him with a cricket bat.

“I approached and realised they were beating my friend. I rescued him. He told me they got him out of the room for having alerted police about a theft they took part in. And that they mugged him in revenge.”

An Emirati policeman said police nabbed someone using one of the mobiles. He led them to another who said he borrowed it from the cleaner.

 Police arrested him. He disclosed his two accomplices. The gardener recognised him during an identity parade.