Six convicted in fatal warehouse robbery

Men killed guard while stealing cables, prosecutors say.

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DUBAI // Six labourers who battered a colleague to death with concrete blocks because he prevented them from robbing the warehouse where they worked were sentenced to life in prison this morning.

Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance records said that in 2009, the six Pakistani men, ages 25 to 32, identified as AB, SK, MA, ZA, FA, and FK, who worked for an electric wires warehouse, were trying to steal cables. The victim, NA, an Indian security guard,

saw the men sneaking into the warehouse in Nad al Sheba.

Prosecution records said the suspects had disconnected the electricity from the warehouse's generator and waited for the guard to check on it. When he did, they tied him up, stuffed a cloth in his mouth and beat him.

The all pleaded not guilty to murder and admitted to stealing the cables when before the court in March 2010.

Two other men, Pakistani salesmen, ages 21 and 29, were found guilty of possessing the stolen cables. They confessed in an earlier hearing and were sentenced to three years in prison.

All the suspects will be deported after serving their prison terms; a life sentence in the UAE is 25 years.

salamir@thenational.ae