DUBAI // A businessman threatened to kill an associate from whom he was trying to retrieve US$1 million (Dh3.67m) lost in a deal, a court heard this morning.
The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance was told that NN, Iranian, 33, who did not appear in court this morning, is charged with issuing threats to MS, 39, German, and MSH, 36, Canadian.
Records show that NN called MSH on the evening of January 21, saying he was interested in real estate investments.
"I met him at 8pm that day, and he then said he wanted to talk about MS, not about real estate," said MSH.
She said NN asked her to provide him with contact information for MS, but she refused and left. He then sent her text messages threatening to kill her and MS, records show.
Prosecutors said NN continued texting her, saying he would not allow her to leave the country or even her house. He said he would have her imprisoned.
One of the messages said, "MS will be executed," while another said, "In few days, you will hear news of MS' death."
MS said MSH called him on the same night and told him what had happened. He said his brother also contacted him from the US and warned him that unknown people had been calling and threatening to kill him.
He said NN had called about his whereabouts, and he said he was out of the country, to which NN allegedly replied that he would have ended up dead had he been in the UAE.
"He told me the Iranian government sent men from Iran specifically to kill me," MS said in records.
MS said NN asked him to return US$1m for a woman identified as NP, with whom he had done business.
During police investigations, NN confessed to charges.
The next hearing will be on October 31.
salamir@thenational.ae