Dubai: A laundryman has admitted in court on Monday that he helped his friend sell a housemaid, who carried the latter's baby, to a pimp.
The 40-year-old Bangladeshi launderer, who appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday, pleaded guilty to the charge of attempting, with his 37-year-old compatriot friend, to exploit the 24-year-old Bangladeshi housemaid and force her into the sex trade.
"I am guilty. I tried to help 37-year-old A.N. sell the victim to a pimp," confessed S.M. when he addressed Presiding Judge Hamad Abdul Latif Abdul Jawad.
A 30-year-old Emirati anti-human trafficking corporal testified that an informant alerted them that S.M. was searching for someone to buy the housemaid for Dh4,000 and exploit her sexually.
New job
According to the arraignment sheet, the two suspects were charged with attempted human trafficking.
They were accused of exploiting the neediness of the housemaid, who absconded from her sponsor and was looking for a new job.
Jail guards failed to present A.N. in court on Monday.
The corporal claimed in his statement: "We arranged with the informant who posed as a buyer and agreed to buy the girl… we arrested the suspects in a sting operation. Upon questioning A.N., he confessed that he had consensual sex with the housemaid. He admitted that he sought the assistance of S.M. to get rid of the girl and her pregnancy and that's when they decided to sell her to a pimp."
Records said the housemaid and A.N. are currently being prosecuted in the Dubai Misdemeanors Court for having consensual sex.
Presiding Judge Abdul Jawad adjourned the case until next month where a lawyer will be assigned to defend S.M.
