UAE | Crime
Press coverage of false rape charge criticised
British media accused of publishing distorted information on accusations against hotel waiter and how matter was handled
- By Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:00 January 29, 2010
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- "A section of the British media reported the incident in a misleading manner and relayed untrue facts which defied what truly happened on that day," said Attorney General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan.
Dubai: The Dubai Attorney General has accused a section of the British media of publishing distorted facts surrounding an alleged incident of rape, which investigations have proved never happened.
"A section of the British media reported the incident in a misleading manner and relayed untrue facts which defied what truly happened on that day. Some of those media reports claimed that the British-Pakistani woman's rape complaint was neglected, and that the alleged rapist was an Arab, and that Dubai police forced her to marry her British-Indian friend," said Attorney General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan, in a media statement carried by WAM news agency.
"Such fictitious and fabricated media reports did not influence or hinder the Dubai Public Prosecution ... from carrying out required law enforcement procedures as stipulated by the UAE's Criminal Procedures Law," he said.
The Criminal Procedures Law applies to all residents without any racial, religious or sexual discrimination, Al Humaidan stressed. The Attorney General said the rape charge against the Indian waiter had been dropped as the DPP's interrogations revealed the waiter was accused falsely, and the 23-year-old woman, S.P., had waived her rape complaint.
Al Humaidan also said they dismissed the charge of out-of-wedlock sex between S.P. and her 44-year-old compatriot, S.C., after they presented documents on January 20, verifying that they married on November 17, 2009, a month and a half before the incident.
S.P. and S.C. have been referred to the Dubai Misdemeanours Court where they will be prosecuted for consuming liquor.
Sources told Gulf News that no date for the hearing has been scheduled. "However, they will be appearing in the Misdemeanours Court soon," said the source.
DPP’s investigations revealed that S.P. reported to police that she came to visit her 44-year-old husband, S.C. She stayed with him at a hotel where they repeatedly slept together. On January 1, S.P. reported to Jebel Ali Police Station that she was allegedly raped while she was under the influence of liquor the night before.
The woman accused the hotel’s Indian waiter who helped her go into the washroom of raping her. Meanwhile, she failed to submit any papers or documents certifying that S.P. is her husband.
"Upon her rape complaint, Dubai Police carried out law enforcement procedures properly. Police interrogators and members of the Criminal Investigation Department headed to the hotel and arrested the waiter. She and the suspect were referred to forensic laboratory for medical examination and check up. When questioned by prosecutors, the Indian denied raping the woman.
"Meanwhile S.P. claimed that she was heavily drunk, unconscious and could not remember what exactly happened to her because she was not sober. S.P. told prosecutors that she wanted to waive her rape complaint because she did not want to unfairly blame the Indian,” said the statement.
Meanwhile S.C. confirmed her testimony saying they were heavily drunk and that her complaint was 'out of place because she was not aware of her actions and behavior'.
"The British man stated that he did not suspect anything or notice any marks of violence or signs that she had been raped. At the beginning of the investigation, prosecutors charged the British couple with having out-of-wedlock sex because they failed to prove that they are married. They were additionally charged with consuming liquor. DPP provisionally detained the Indian and bailed out the couple, who were asked to bring a marriage certificate," added the statement.
During DPP’s questioning, two hotel workers testified that S.P. walked into the washroom alone. Surveillance camera footage confirmed that the Indian could not have committed the alleged rape incident in front of clients and waiters.
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