Brothers tried to sneak wanted sibling out of UAE, court hears

DUBAI // Two brothers tried to help their sibling evade justice by hiding him in the car boot and driving over the Oman border, a court heard today.

A border guard at Hatta discovered AAS, 36, after ordering his brothers AA, a 35-year-old policeman and MA, a 27-year-old receptionist, to open the car boot during a check on October 24 last year.

Prosecutors said that the man in the boot, who was wanted by UAE police in connection with a number of financial cases, then handed the border guard an Emirates ID card. However, the guard checked the ID card and found it belonged to one of his younger brothers. He then arrested all three men.

At the Criminal Court, the two younger brothers were charged with aiding and abetting in the fraudulent use of an official document. They both denied the charge, while their older brother, who was charged with fraudulently using an official document, did not appear in court to enter a plea.

"He is detained in Abu Dhabi your honour on a number of financial cases," said both younger brothers at the same time.

The next hearing was scheduled for April 1.

salamir@thenational.ae