DUBAI: An employee accused of threatening to have his former boss killed by political associates in Lebanon, pleaded not guilty to the charge at a Dubai court on Monday.
The Lebanese man made the threat after he was fired in 2018 over financial irregularities. He had worked for his 40-year-old compatriots company in Dubai for three years.
Shortly after losing his job, the accused told his ex-boss’s business sponsor that when the businessman visited Beirut, his associates connected to two influential political parties, would kill him.
According to court papers obtained by Arab News, Dubai prosecutors charged the accused with threatening to have his ex-boss killed if he lodged a breach of trust case against him.
The businessman told prosecutors he discovered the accused was involved in smuggling people out of the UAE who were wanted by police.
“I paid his dues and terminated his contract and cancelled his connection to my company,” the businessman said. “Later some people visited my company to complain that the suspect had swindled them and embezzled their money.
“The suspect refused to repay money he took from one victim, who was in my office … then he shouted at me and stormed out angrily.
“Later my sponsor told me over the phone not to go to Beirut because the suspect had threatened in words to have me killed there.”
The sponsor told prosecutors: “I warned the victim about what happened and advised to be careful and try settle the issue with the suspect amicably.”
The Dubai Criminal Court will rule in the case next month.
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