Uncle and nephew who mugged Asian man lose appeal

TDT | Manama

A Bahraini man and his nephew got their punishment upheld by the Supreme Criminal Court of Appeal after they pleaded against their conviction of impersonating policemen and mugging an Asian man last year. Both men were sentenced to five years in jail each.

The incident was reported to the authorities when an Asian man, the victim, lodged a complaint to the police against the appellants, a 30-year-old uncle of the 18-year-old nephew, alleging that they mugged him for BD50 after claiming they were policemen.

The victim said in his statements that both men approached him, alleging they were cops, and asked him for his identity card, adding that they slapped him, stole his wallet and escaped. Police investigations led to the identification and arrest of both appellants.

The nephew told investigators that his uncle was the mastermind of the crime and that they mugged the victim in the Salmabad area in the Northern Governorate.

“He informed me that we will be mugging Asian labourers, but I rejected and told him that I don’t steal from people,” said the nephew in his statements. “He asked me to stop the car in Salmabad and he was talking to an Asian man, the victim, while I was waiting in the car with my headphones on.

“My uncle suddenly called me and asked me to hold the Asian man so he can steal his wallet. After my uncle was done, he yelled at me and told me to run away.”

The nephew added: “We later met at home and he gave BD5 saying it was my share from the BD50 that he stole from the Asian man.” Meanwhile, the uncle denied his nephew’s allegations and told investigators that his nephew was the one who asked him for assistance to steal money from Asian labourers.

Both men appealed against the previously announced verdict, but the Supreme Criminal Court of Appeal rejected their request and upheld their punishment after deliberating the case and reviewing the evidence and testimonies.