Men acquitted of double kidnapping

DUBAI // Two men were acquitted of kidnapping two women and robbing them after blackmailing their sponsor for a Dh2,000 ransom, a Dubai court ruled today.

The two men had denied the charges when they appeared before the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance in April.

"Acquittal, it's acquittal," yelled MB, 35, as he and EA, 32, heard the verdict yesterday.

Judge Maher Salameh told the men to behave themselves and stay away from crime. The specific reasons for the acquittal will be released later.

Prosecutors had accused EA and MB, both Egyptians, of pretending to be police officers and forcing two women, one from Nigeria and one from Uganda, to come to their apartment. They then called the women's sponsor and asked her for Dh2,000 ransom to free them, prosecutors said.

salamir@thenational.ae