Dubai visitor uses Snapchat to sell himself for sex

Dubai - The account was under a woman's name.

A man who allegedly earned his living by soliciting sex with males on social media stood trial on Tuesday at a Dubai court.
The Court of First Instance heard the 22-year-old Moroccan man, who came to the country on a visit visa, opened a Snapchat account to post nude clips of himself and offer himself for sex for cash.
He admitted in court to the charges of inciting vice online and working in prostitution.
The case was registered at Al Qusais police station.
A cybercrime police lieutenant from the Dubai Police said he was on duty with a colleague when they monitored the defendant's account on Snapchat.
"The account that had a woman's name showed morally inappropriate clips. It also seduced men and promoted prostitution and alcohol."
The lieutenant then contacted the electronic evidence department of the general directorate of criminal evidence and criminology to save the inappropriate clips on a CD.
A circular was issued to bring the accused for questioning.
"At 10am on June 20, the defendant turned himself in at the police station. He confessed verbally that he used the Snapchat account to meet men for sex. He claimed he had arrived on a visit visa seeking a job, but then made a living by working in prostitution."
The man admitted to the officers he had sex with several men in Dubai for Dh1,000 to Dh1,500.
The mobile phone he used was seized for examination at the crime lab.
The accused was referred for a forensic examination, which revealed that he was used to having sex with men.
The defendant admitted to the charges during the police questioning and investigation by the public prosecution.
The court will pronounce a verdict on August 12.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai