Dubai: Three men have been accused of kidnapping a worker and locking him up in a flat to coerce his father to waive his ownership of a property in their home country.

The Pakistani trio, J.S., a 43-year-old businessman, F.S., a 28-year-old worker, and M.M., a 30-year-old supervisor, and their two countrymen [who remain at large] allegedly kidnapped the Pakistani worker from near his house and locked him up in J.S.’ flat in April.

The men went in two cars to the worker’s residence, according to records, and then they forced him into one of the vehicles before they drove off quickly.

The 25-year-old worker was confined for nearly three hours in J.S.’ flat in Sharjah, according to records, and when they failed to coerce the father to waive his ownership, they handed him over to the Abu Dhabi authorities where he was wanted.

Prosecutors charged J.S., F.S., and M.M. with kidnapping the worker, locking him up and stealing his mobile phone and money. Two other Pakistani suspects remain at large.

The trio pleaded not guilty and denied their accusations when they appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the five men [including the two fugitives] ganged up against the worker and forced him into a car, confined him for a few hours and then turned him over to the authorities in the capital where he was wanted for flouting the residency laws.

Prosecutors said the suspects wanted to force the victim’s father to waive his ownership of a piece of land in Pakistan to one of the runaway suspects.

They were also charged with stealing the worker’s mobile and Dh3,000.

The 25-year-old claimed to prosecutors that the suspects suddenly stopped their two cars near the pavement, forced him into one of them and then took off at 10.30pm in Al Nahda area.

“They covered my face with a blindfold and they drove away. They assaulted me and took away my wallet and mobile phone. Then they unmasked me once we reached a flat … they all ganged up against me. They kept me confined until 1am. They knew that I was staying illegally in the UAE and so they threatened to turn me in. Later they blindfolded me again and turned me in to the authorities in Abu Dhabi. They wanted to coerce my father to waive the ownership of a plot of land beside the land of one of the runaway suspects named B.,” he testified to prosecutors.

The worker’s neighbour reported the matter to the police once he spotted a group of men forcing the 25-year-old into a vehicle.

A policeman claimed to prosecutors that the trio [J.S., F.S., and M.M.] were arrested after they were identified from one of the car’s number plates.

A ruling will he heard on November 11.