Dubai: A sales representative has been jailed for six months for trying to steal a bag containing Dh6,000 from a man after spraying pepper in his eyes at Ibn Battuta Mall.
The 51-year-old New Zealander defendant, M.Y., attacked the 54-year-old Pakistani hotel worker, A.M., in the mall’s parking area.
The New Zealander sprayed pepper in A.M.’s eyes before snatching the bag from his hands and fleeing.
A taxi driver who saw a group of pedestrians chasing M.Y. and asking others to stop him, forced the defendant to stop and restrained him.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted M.Y. of attempted robbery after the money was recovered.
According to the primary ruling, the accused will be deported after serving his jail term.
The New Zealander confessed that he tried to steal the bag of money when he entered his plea before the court.
The Pakistani driver foiled the defendant’s attempt to steal the cash in the incident that happened in May.
A.M. testified that the accused mugged him shortly after he deposited money in a bank at the mall.
“As I walked out of the branch holding the black bag, the defendant took me by surprise and sprayed pepper in my eyes. Then he snatched the bag and ran… I tried to chase him and called others for help,” claimed the victim.
The Nepalese taxi driver said he was waiting in his car when he saw some men chasing the New Zealander.
“He ran in my direction and I stopped him. He resisted me for a while and sprayed pepper in my eyes. But I kept him restrained with the help of others until the police arrived,” claimed the driver.
M.Y.’s lawyer contended in court that the defendant suffers from a mental illness caused by his financial situation and asked the presiding judge to acquit him or grant him a lenient punishment.
