Men cleared of starting workers riot by Dubai court

The seven Indians and one Nepalese, aged between 23 and 34, were accused of being the leaders of the riot that took place at a site belonging to construction company Arabtec on the night of January 3 this year.

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DUBAI // Eight men have been found not guilty of starting a riot involving hundreds of workers that caused more than Dh400,000 in damage.

The seven Indians and one Nepalese, aged between 23 and 34, were accused of being the leaders of the riot that took place at a site belonging to construction company Arabtec on the evening of January 3.

Last month, they denied the charges in court.

Dubai Criminal Court acquitted all of them on charges that included inciting other workers to cause damage, illegally forming a large gathering and causing damage to the company’s premises and damage to tools and equipment rented from other companies, all of which amounted to more than Dh400,000.

One defendant was found not guilty of setting fire to a digger by opening its fuel tank and igniting the contents inside.

In an earlier hearing, the court was told that two of the men had complained to the company’s security guard that their rooms had been robbed and demanded to be given locks and keys.

“Shortly after coming to me, the eight men returned with a group of about 100 other workers which quickly grew to include nearly 500 workers. They started encouraging the other workers to break and smash everything,” said the Egyptian guard.

The eight were arrested shortly afterwards and claimed they had been sleeping at the time of the riot, said an Emirati policeman.

salamir@thenational.ae