Dubai: A jobless man and a businessman have been accused of verbally threatening to harm a manager and his family if he didn’t waive a Dh11-million civil lawsuit against the businessman.

The Canadian manager was said to have received a call from an Australian man, who told him that was an acquaintance of the Russian businessman and that he was planning to harm him [manager] and his family if he did not drop his civil lawsuit against the Russian in January.

The Russian is believed to be related to a high-profile politician, said records.

According to records, the Canadian is believed to have filed a civil lawsuit in which he is claiming the Russian to pay him Dh11 million.

When the Australian called up the Canadian and threatened to break his legs and those of his parents and brother in Lebanon if he did not drop the civil lawsuit.

Thereafter, the manager reported the matter to the police who apprehended the Australian and Russian men.

Prosecutors accused the suspects of verbally threatening to harm the Canadian and his family in the UAE and Lebanon.

The suspects pleaded not guilty and refuted their accusation before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.

The duo asked presiding judge Mohammad Jamal to summon the claimant to hear his statement in court when it reconvenes on August 20.

The manager’s lawyer told the court he would submit a civil compensation claim against the suspects in the upcoming hearing.

The Canadian told prosecutors: “The Australian told me over the phone that he knows the Russian businessman … he warned me that the latter had informed him about my Dh11-million lawsuit and had contacted him [jobless man] because he wanted to harm my family and myself. When I asked him to send me a proof that he knows my family, he sent me on WhatsApp images of my parents and brother. He also sent me a copy of my passport and the photo of my office as well. He threatened to harm us if I did not drop my civil lawsuit of Dh11 million against the Russian,” he testified to prosecutors.

The Australian was quoted as admitting to prosecutors that the Russian, who is related to a politician, told him that he would harm the Canadian if he didn’t drop his civil lawsuit.