Fake Police, Real Sentence: Jail, Dh600,000 Fine in Dubai Robbery Case

Members of a criminal gang who posed as police investigators and robbed an Asian businessman of Dh600,000 have been jailed and later ordered by a Dubai civil court to repay the stolen money after the criminal verdict against them became final.

According to court records, the five defendants were convicted in a criminal trial of impersonating police officers and stealing the cash from the victim during a nighttime incident in a commercial area.

The court sentenced the men to six months in jail, imposed a Dh600,000 fine, and ordered their deportation after completion of their prison terms. The case unfolded when the suspects stopped the victim late at night near an office building and falsely identified themselves as members of the police investigations department.

They displayed what appeared to be a military identification card and instructed the man to submit to a search. Believing they were genuine law enforcement officers, the victim complied.

During the encounter, the men seized his mobile phone, bank cards and a bag containing Dh600,000 in cash. They then told him to remain at the location, claiming another police patrol would arrive shortly.

Instead, the suspects fled the scene with the money. Authorities launched an investigation after the victim reported the incident, leading to the identification and arrest of the suspects, who were later referred to the Dubai Public Prosecution.

After the criminal judgment became final, the victim filed a civil lawsuit seeking the return of the stolen funds and compensation.

In its ruling, the Dubai Court of First Instance said the criminal verdict had already established the occurrence of the theft and the defendants’ liability, making those findings binding on the civil court.

The court noted that the victim suffered direct financial loss from being deprived of the money, along with emotional distress caused by the crime.

It therefore ordered the defendants to jointly repay Dh600,000, pay Dh50,000 in compensation for material and moral damages, and cover legal interest at 5 per cent from the date the lawsuit was filed until full payment is made, while rejecting the remaining claims.

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