Two Nigerian men were among four arraigned Sunday at the Dubai Court of First Instance over the killing of a security guard in a construction site last June.
The court heard that together with two Pakistani men, the Nigerians plotted to steal electric cables at the site located in International City in the Al Warsan region of Dubai.
Gulf News reports that the four men went to the site at midnight and attacked the security guard, who was reportedly busy on his mobile phone.
“They attacked him from behind and tied his hands and legs with tape. The defendants have admitted to muzzling the guard’s mouth and his face with a tape as he was resisting and screaming for help. After ten minutes, the victim died,” said an Emirati policeman in court records.
He further stated that “The Nigerian men were stealing cables and selling them to the two Pakistani men. The Pakistani defendants refused to buy the cables and left the spot. The other two then went to check on the victim, but he had passed away.”
The Nigerians claimed they covered the victim’s face with tape in order to make sure he wouldn’t identify them.
The Pakistani men were said to have left the crime scene as they didn’t agree with the Nigerians to tie up the security guard because the Nigerians had earlier told them the victim was involved and would permit the theft.
A group of workers the next morning reached the site and found the body of the security guard and alerted Dubai Police, who arrested all four suspects in 48 hours. Medical reports revealed that the defendant was muzzled to death.
The Nigerians have admitted to killing the victim and to attempted robbery.
Prosecution have charged all four defendants with premeditated murder. The next hearing is scheduled for November 15.