Two Indian bootleggers sentenced to death in UAE

Dubai, Oct 11 (PTI) Two Indian bootleggers have been
sentenced to death and nine others jailed for life by a UAE
court after they were convicted of kidnapping, raping and
killing two of their male compatriots.
The case dates back to 2009 where 13 defendants - 12
Indians and a Pakistani - were accused of kidnapping two
Indian men, stabbing them with sharp tools. Then five of the
defendants gang-raped the victims, who were buried in a hole.
The Dubai Appeal Court on Monday overturned the primary
verdict, in which one man was sentenced to death and 12 others
were jailed for life, the Gulf News reported.
"The court has canceled the primary judgment. Two
defendants have been sentenced to death. Two other defendants
will face 15 years in jail. Meanwhile, nine defendants face a
life imprisonment," Judge Eisa Al Sharif ruled.
Prosecutors said all the accused, aged between 20 and 30,
kidnapped the Indian victims and stabbed them with knives,
swords and cleavers and battered them with iron bars before
five of the defendants raped the victims, the paper said.
The prosecutors said the defendants buried the victims in
a hole after the attack. All the convicts were additionally
charged with disposing the bodies of the victims. Some of the
defendants were charged with consuming liquor also.
All the accused who face imprisonments, will be deported
following the completion of their jailed terms.
The convicts, who were not identified by name, pleaded
not guilty and rejected their charges.
An Emirati policeman had testified that they were warned
that two Indian men were kidnapped as part of bootlegging
rivalry between two gangs.
The verdict came weeks after 17 Indians escaped the
gallows for killing a Pakistani national by paying the blood
money. They are yet to return home. PTI ZH