Drunk Dubai expat books hotel room after party, rapes friend

Dubai - The accused said he did not want to drive home as he was worried he would be caught for driving under influence of alcohol.

A Dubai expat stood trial on Sunday at the Court of First Instance after a Filipina woman accused him of raping her in a hotel room.

According to public prosecution records, the incident took place on March 18 after a night out partying. It was reported to the Bur Dubai police station. The 30-year-old Egyptian defendant, working as a clerk, allegedly took advantage that the woman was under the influence of alcohol to force himself on her.

The accused, who is in detention, denied the charge in court.

The complainant, a 32-year-old waitress, said that she had met the defendant at Dubai Safari Park and they became friends. "We would talk on WhatsApp. He called me on the incident day around 11pm wanting to see me. He picked me up from work at 1am."

The defendant came with his friend and the complainant was also accompanied by her colleague. "We went for dinner. He then took us to a club in Al Jaddaf. It was around 6am," she told the prosecution investigator.

Later on, the defendant would not drive the women to their place on the pretext he was worried he would be caught by CID officers for drunk-driving. They booked a room at the hotel. The complainant claimed that the accused raped her there while she was under the influence of alcohol and thus could not resist him.

Her friend, a 40-year-old Filipina clerk, gave a similar statement during the investigation. "After finding her (the complainant) bleeding, I asked the defendant whether he had sex with her. He said he did not force her. But he would not call the ambulance for her because he was worried the police would come."

A police corporal, who arrested and interrogated the accused, said that the latter admitted he had sex with the woman. "He claimed it was consensual."

Prosecution records show that the complainant went to hospital after the assault.

The forensic report and a medical report showed that the complainant was indeed subjected to a sexual assault.

The trial will continue on November 24.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai