Dubai: A gang of three women have gone on trial accused of luring a man to their apartment, beating him up and stealing Dh57,000, a Dubai court heard on Monday.

The 45-year-old Iraqi victim arrived in Dubai in January of this year and got to know a woman, who he thought was a Swedish student, through a dating app. After they spoke on the phone, they agreed to meet at her apartment in Al Quoz, but when the victim arrived he was met by a group of African women who attacked him.

“The apartment door opened and five African women dragged me inside and physically abused me,” said the Iraqi man.

The Nigerian women slapped him and asked for money. He gave them Dh1,600 to let him go, but they searched his pockets and found Dh55,975.

“They were so happy when they found this amount of cash that they stopped searching me,” he added. “I was terrified that they would kill me so I pretended to have breathing problems so they would let me go,” he added.

The defendants allowed him to leave but he alerted the building’s security and kept waiting in front of the apartment. When Dubai Police arrived, the defendants jumped out of the window to escape.

An Emirati police officer, who responded to the call, said, “The women escaped and we chased them on foot. We arrested three of them and the victim identified them before taking them to Bur Dubai police station

The three Nigerian women aged 30, 33 and 34, were charged with robbery. A verdict is expected later this month.

Meanwhile, Dubai Public Prosecution charged the Iraqi victim with soliciting prostitution.

He was fined Dh5,000 and deported.