A cash-strapped man set fire to his own warehouse after refusing to give it up to pay off a Dh200,000 debt, a court heard.
The Pakistani national had borrowed the money from a fellow warehouse owner in Dubai's Ras Al Khor industrial area after being unable to keep up with his rent payments.
But when the cheques he had given to repay the debt bounced, the Indian man demanded he hand over his warehouse and its contents.
He put the lease under his name but found out later that the accused had changed the locks.
“He then called me and threatened that If I come near his warehouse, he would burn it down and flee the country,” the Indian man said.
Dubai Criminal Court heard the Pakistani man, 35, doused the warehouse in petrol before setting it on fire on June 4.
He was later arrested by police, who discovered he had receipts for the purchase of petrol.
He admitted an arson charge at Dubai Criminal Court on Monday.
The case was adjourned until July 8.