Dubai: An Australian man claimed he was tortured and forced by police to admit his alleged participation in a jewellery shop break-in.

Addressing the Dubai Court of First Instance during his arraignment, the 32-year-old S.H. denied the accusation that he was involved in the Dh11 million burglary, saying the charges were "wrong, groundless and unfounded".

"I have been detained for five months during which I was tortured, brutally beaten [up], electrocuted, treated indecently and forced by CID [Criminal Investigation Department] to confess to a crime that I did not commit. I don't know why I have been placed in detention," he told Presiding Judge Hamad Abdul Latif Abdul Jawad.

Prosecutors claimed that S.H. and O.M., an Afghan, were arrested for possessing 30kg of gold items which were stolen from the shop.

Four other suspects — all Afghans — were also charged. Three of the defendants — H.A., B.M. and Z.K. — pleaded guilty to the burglary charge and exonerated M.A., who entered a not guilty plea.

Prosecutors said the four made a hole in the wall of the jewellery shop and, once inside, drilled another hole in the safe's concrete wall where the gold items were stored.

Switched off

An Emirati policeman said H.A. was the first to be arrested.

"During questioning, H.A. admitted that he, B.M., Z.K. and M.A. went to the jewellery store in a taxi. They made the holes, stole the gold and ran away in a taxi. He alleged that they switched off the surveillance cameras as well. One hour later, according to H.A., S.H. met them and took the bag that contained the gold," the policeman said.

O.M. admitted that he took the bag which contained the gold, but said that he was not aware that the items were stolen.

When it was the Australian's turn to enter his plea, he surprised the judge and the people in the courtroom when he sought permission to speak up.

"May I ask the court to grant me some time to speak out? Police and prosecutors did not listen to me. I have been looking forward to defend myself in court".

The presiding judge allowed him to address the court. "This is a totally wrong allegation. I have nothing to do with the case. I came to Dubai via transit and was heading to Bangkok and from there to Melbourne. CID arrested me at the airport. Every five minutes they beat me [up]. Although I had nothing to do with the [burglary], but they continuously tortured me and asked me to sign a confession to something I did not do. They even stripped me naked and did stuff to me that I will keep for myself because it is private… I cannot say it out loud before the crowd.

"I, my family and children have suffered for five months. Why should my family suffer? Why?" S.H. said.

Record of proceedings

The judge ordered the court clerk to include the Australian's statement in the court's record of proceedings.

The jewellery shop's Indian supervisor said the burglary happened between the time they closed down at 10pm and opened at 9.30am the next day. "A suspect or more opened a hole in the wall… they entered the store and opened another hole in the safe's concrete wall and stole the gold," the supervisor said.

The court is expected to hand down its verdict on December 29.