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Cop accused of trying to rape woman tourist

DUBAI - A 25-year-old Emirati policeman stood trial in the Court of First Instance on Wednesday on the charge of trying to rape a Japanese tourist.

The policeman is also accused of molesting the 24-year-old woman after kidnapping her in his tinted 4WD after offering her a ride to Hatta Heritage Village. He also allegedly threatened to kill her if she did not have sex with him.

The incident, as told by the tourist, happened on March 14 as she was walking towards the village with a map, a touristic book and a bottle of water. It was about noon when the defendant driving a 4WD stopped by her and offered her a ride.

She had felt lost and tired by that time, so she got inside the vehicle. On the way, he drove in directions other than a bus driver had advised her earlier to take. When she asked him suspecting where he was taking her, he said he would show her a valley. He drove towards an isolated mountainous area where he told her that he wanted to have sex with her. He threatened to kill her if she did not obey him.

He yelled at her repeatedly to scare her. She resisted and pushed him away. He stopped short of raping her when he learnt that she had her monthly menstrual period. He then molested her. He slapped and punched her many times to make her succumb.

He dropped her near a bus stop and she walked before taking a bus to the Japanese Consulate where she reported the incident.

She did not know how to contact the police since she was visiting the country for the first time and and she was very scared. The forensic doctor confirmed that the woman was sexually assaulted.

Marks on her hand showed that there was a physical contact between her and the defendant which might have resulted from her pushing him away.

An Emirati police lieutenant, who recorded her statement through the Japanese consul, at the Forensic Medicine Department described her at the time as being in a state of shock and fear. She also had red marks on her face. An Emirati police sergeant quoted the defendant as being defiant when called to the police station. The sergeant said the accused challenged him to issue a police circular against him.

The woman thought at first that the man, who sexually assaulted her, was an Asian and she reported him as such.

The police combed the Hatta area looking for him among Asians but they later widened their search to include Arabs and Emiratis.

The defendant was among the suspects since he drove a tinted 4WD that matched the descriptions given by the tourist. All suspects were summoned for interrogation but the defendant was being evasive and sometimes he switched off his mobile phone. That raised more suspicion. On September 2, he went to the Hatta police station after being convinced by the police
 officers.

He was then taken to the General Directorate of Criminal Evidence where his blood sample was taken. According to the report on issued September 19, the DNA of the pieces of evidence lifted from the woman’s body matched with his. He was then arrested and referred to the Public Prosecution.

The case has been adjourned until the middle of next month.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

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