Increased sentences for duo who took part in robbery that led to Dubai worker’s death

Pair appealed a seven-year sentence and had their punishment increased to 15 years after supermarket robbery that led to man's death.

DUBAI // Two visitors to the UAE have had their sentences doubled for their role in the killing of a supermarket worker and theft of a safe containing nearly Dh96,000.

In February, Dubai Criminal Court convicted three Kazakhs, aged between 25 and 31, of the premeditated murder of an Indian worker and sentenced them to 15 years in prison each. The two visitors were found guilty of aiding and abetting and were handed seven years in jail each.

All five men appealed the sentences and Dubai Court of Appeal upheld the 15-year sentence for the Kazakhs but overturned the seven years against visitors, instead increasing their sentences to 15 years as well.

In December 2013, the three Kazakhs broke in to the supermarket in Abu Hail, where they found the victim. They assaulted him and tied him to a chair before covering his mouth with tape.

Then they stole the safe and fled, leaving the man to die. He was later found by an Indian worker.

“I was heading to Al Fajr prayer at the time,” said the worker.

“We did not mean to kill him, we just beat him up and left,” said one of the defendants in court in a previous hearing.

They will all be deported when their complete their custodial sentences.