A COVENTRY man is among two to have been found guilty of kidnapping and beating up a man over a drugs debt.
In 2020, Coventrian Aseel Alshamrani and Adoulali Boutafala were working for a drugs line known as the ‘Rex line.’
Their victim – then in his late teens and now in his early 20s – had been exploited to deal drugs on behalf of the line and quickly fell into debt.
Alshamrani and Boutafala made threats towards him and his family before driving to his home around midnight on June 23, 2020, and, after he initially tried to settle his debt, he was made to get into a car.
The pair took him to a sports field on the outskirts of Leamington, assaulting him and making him remove his clothes by threatening to throw ammonia over him.
The duo returned to Coventry and the victim, who had been left in the park, walked into Leamington to report the incident to police.
After further investigation, Alshamrani and Boutafala were arrested in Coventry City Centre and later charged.
Alshamrani, 20, of Furlong Road, Coventry, was charged with kidnap, assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and two counts of possessing an offensive weapon.
Boutafala, 24, formerly of Prince of Wales Close, London, was charged with kidnap, assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), and two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.
Although the pair denied any wrongdoing throughout their two-week trial at Warwick Crown Court, on December 1 they were found guilty on all counts by the jury.
They will be sentenced at the same court on January 19.
Investigating officer Det Sgt Magnus Mcauley said: “This was a particularly horrendous incident made worse by how the pair threatened and ultimately, humiliated the victim.
“Although he has made a full physical recovery, the mental scars and anguish of what he went through will no doubt remain for a long time.
“I hope he can now try to move on with the next chapter of his life free from the threat of drugs.
“Despite being a lengthy and comprehensive investigation, ultimately, we have got the right outcome.”
