Driver who threatened Emirati sponsor is jailed

Pakistani sent text message to Emirati sponsor saying that he would burn her house and that he knew where her children went to school.

DUBAI // A driver who threatened to burn the house and harass the children of his female Emirati sponsor after an employment dispute has been jailed for three years.

Dubai Criminal Court heard that 43-year-old Emirati businesswoman M A attended the Ministry of Labour on November 2 last year because the defendant, A A, 24, had lodged a complaint against her because he wanted to end his employment and return home to Pakistan.

“I told him that he owes me Dh28,000, which he has to pay me before I let him return to his country then I left him and walked away,” she said.

Three days later she said she received a text message from the defendant’s number but it was a mixture of English and his mother tongue so did not understand it.

She showed the message to her Pakistani business partner who translated it as saying “I will burn your house and I know where the schools of your children are located”.

The Emirati said it also included foul language used to insult so she reported him to police.

Prosecutors charged the driver with issuing threats, insulting the victim and abusing telecommunications.

He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him, and said that the SIM card that was used to send the texts does not belong to him.

The Pakistani driver will be deported after completing his sentence.