A conman has been found guilty of pretending to be a Central Investigation Department (CID) officer to rob a karak tea shop after claiming to be searching for a secret stash of alcohol.
The High Criminal Court sentenced the 40-year-old Bangladeshi national to three years in prison for impersonating a police officer, assaulting the restaurant’s manager and stealing BD410 in cash.
The defendant reportedly carried out the crime with the help of two yet-unidentified accomplices who remain at large.
The restaurant is located in the heart of Manama, on one of the old city’s densest avenues, and is specialised in selling tea, juice and sandwiches.
The Bangladeshi victim recounted being approached by the trio at his workplace, claiming they were inspecting the restaurant after receiving a report that it sold alcohol without a licence.
He testified that he told them that they were welcome to inspect the premises and that they had his full co-operation.
However, they seemed uninterested in searching the karak tea shop and, according to the victim, “insisted that they needed to search my personal accommodation, claiming I might be hiding a secret supply of alcohol there”.
The victim agreed to accompany the men to his flat, believing their claims to be legitimate. However, upon arriving at the accommodation, the men turned violent, with the conman punching him in the face twice.
“The other two grabbed me from behind and restrained me. While I was unable to move, one of them went through my pockets and took BD410 in cash,” he said.
Though he attempted to resist, he was overpowered by the men who left him injured on the floor of his flat before fleeing the scene.
He then contacted the police to report the incident and was informed by officers that no complaint had been registered against the restaurant.
The GDN earlier reported that authorities reviewed security camera footage from the restaurant and through that managed to identify and arrest the Bangladeshi national who denied the charges in court.
The video evidence reportedly showed three men escorting the victim out of the premises and into a dimly-lit alleyway leading to his accommodation.
However, the other two men involved in the crime remain unidentified and their whereabouts are still unknown. It is unclear whether or not they are still in the country.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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