Jail term increased for man who raped secretary

Dubai: A driver lost his appeal and had his jail term increased from three to five years for kidnapping a secretary and raping her before she tested positive for HIV.

The Pakistani driver, R.J., lured the 24-year-old Filipina secretary to his car after he offered her a ride to a mall in Deira last December.

He drove his car to Al Ghusais where he stopped in a deserted area and had forced sex with her before stealing her belongings.

The Dubai Appeal Court rejected R.J.’s appeal to reduce his three-year imprisonment after he contended that he had consensual sex with her.

Presiding judge Eisa Al Sharif increased the accused’s three-year jail term to five years.

The accused will be deported following the completion of his jail term.

Medical reports said the Filipina tested positive for HIV shortly after she reported the matter to the police.

Records said R.J. kidnapped the secretary, raped her and stole her Dh500 and make up set, phones and personal papers.

“We had consensual sex,” the defendant argued in court.

The defendant took the woman to a deserted place in Al Ghusais Industrial Area where he forced himself on her in the back seat of his vehicle, according to records.

The secretary testified she received an SMS from the defendant who asked to meet her at Dubai Financial Centre.

“I work for a company that promotes products online. When he arrived by car, he offered to discuss business in his vehicle. He drove while discussing business until he reached Al Ghusais and suddenly parked the car. He asked me to remain silent when I asked him why he had stopped. Then he pushed me to the rear seat where he had forced sex with me … then he pushed me out of the car,” she testified.

A police corporal testified that the defendant was arrested after the secretary provided them with his contact number.

“R.J. said he had consensual sex with the Filipina. The woman’s iPhone was also found in his possession … he claimed that he took her purse because she had failed to repay him some money that he had lent her earlier,” he claimed.

Records said an Egyptian man found the woman kneeling on a pavement and crying and informed the police.

The appellate ruling remains subject to appeal before the Cassation Court within 28 days.