A MASKED raider who tied up and blindfolded two diamond dealers during a botched armed robbery was yesterday jailed for eight years. Brothers Ng Sai-hoi, 40, and Ng Sai-Tok, 41, were attacked after locking diamonds worth $10 million in their Central office safe, the High Court heard. The diamond dealers were cornered as they left their offices when one of the robbers got in the lift with them and stopped it. Prosecutor Francis Lo said the man was joined by four other masked men, with two carrying knives. ''The man inside the lift took out a pistol-like object, pushed the brothers out of the lift and together with the other four men dragged them into the women's toilet,'' Mr Lo said. They gang seized the men's Rolex watches and Ng Sai-tok's wallet containing $18,000 and credit cards. They then forced Ng Sai-hoi to open the main door to the Lap Kee Company. But the businessman fed them information that activated the alarm, forcing the gang to flee. Police arrested one of the robbers, Leung Wai-chiu, 31, a decorator, on May 11, 1993 - a year after the robbery - following a tip-off. Yesterday, Leung - who admitted the charges - was jailed for eight years for the robbery and six years for conspiracy to rob. The sentences will run concurrently.
