Five men accused of brutally assaulting two expatriate garage workers and stealing their belongings during a daring break-in in Salmabad will learn their fate next month.
The Bahraini defendants – a 28-year-old security guard from Sitra, a 30-year-old driver from Salman Town, a 35-year-old retiree from Sitra, a 28-year-old retiree from East Riffa, and a 27-year-old driver from Budaiya – are standing trial at the High Criminal Court, where they are facing charges relating to assault and theft.
Court documents reveal that the men gathered at the 30-year-old driver’s home in Salman Town after he summoned them.
While the initial purpose of the meeting remains unclear, the 28-year-old driver allegedly proposed breaking into a garage in Salmabad to steal valuables. The group agreed, assigned roles, and set the date for their crime.
On August 21, they embarked on their mission and used the security guard’s car to reach the garage.
The 30-year-old helped them break into the property, where the two victims – a 40-year-old Sri Lankan and a 29-year-old Bangladeshi – were asleep in the attached residence.
Three defendants – the guard, the driver, and the retiree – stormed the room armed with iron rods, posing as policemen. They threatened the victims, seized the Sri Lankan’s phone, and demanded its password.
When he refused, the security guard allegedly struck him in the left eye. Meanwhile, the other two assaulted the Bangladeshi victim, injuring his hand, before snatching his phone.
The gang fled with two mobile phones, BD350 in cash, a watch, and a tablet.
One of the men even sabotaged the garage’s security cameras, taking the recording device to cover their tracks. They escaped in two vehicles driven by the retiree and the 27-year-old driver.
The horrified victims immediately filed a complaint at a nearby station, which led to the identification and arrest of the suspects.
The 28-year-old guard was the first to be arrested, and following interrogations, the officers managed to apprehend and detain the 30-year-old driver and retiree. During interrogation, all five admitted to the charges and were referred to the High Criminal Court.
Judges are expected to deliver a verdict on January 27.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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