DUBAI // A young man threatened to kill a woman if she broke off their friendship and warned her against going to police because he had connections, a court has heard.
The Indian man, 23, who is on a tourist visa, threatened her verbally and on WhatsApp, Dubai Criminal Court heard.
Prosecutors said that between February and April, he sent the messages to the Italian, 27, who told police he threatened to kill her and her family.
During questioning, he said he was in an intimate relationship with the woman and they lived together in a flat.
But he said that one day after an argument, she took his phone and sent herself the threatening messages to frame him while he slept.
The woman’s Ethiopian friend, 34, said: “I visited her one day at the apartment and the accused was there in the living room while we sat in her bedroom, and she showed me some of his messages, which read that he would make her family disappear.
“I told her to call police but she was too scared to as he had warned her that he had strong connections with the police.”
She said that about two weeks later the victim moved from the apartment and when the friends met at a hotel for lunch the man was at a nearby table, smiling at them.
In court, he denied issuing threats to kill. A verdict is expected on November 16.
salamir@thenational.ae