Dubai: A housemaid and a driver are pleading innocent against the human trafficking of an Indonesian female even though they were caught red-handed trying to sell her to a policeman.
The Public Prosecution had charged the 29-year-old Indian housemaid, T.S., and her 25-year-old compatriot driver, M.K., with exploiting the 33-year-old Indonesian female, K.S., by forcing her into prostitution.
Assault
They were charged with violating Federal Law No 51 (2006) of human trafficking. The housemaid was also charged with beating the victim. Meanwhile, a 27-year-old Pakistani driver, T.Q., was charged with aiding and abetting the Indian suspects.
The exploited victim claimed that her compatriot encouraged her to abandon her sponsor for a higher salary.
"I stayed with her for a short period before she handed me to a Bangla-deshi man who also delivered me to some Indian suspects in Al Ain.
"The Indians then sold me for Dh4,300 to T.S. and M.K. who forced me into prostitution," she said in her statement.
They used to pocket the sex customer's money for themselves and the 29-year-old used 'to beat and abuse me', she alleged.
The policeman who posed as the buyer said he bought the victim for money which was photographed to be used as evidence against the defendants. The three suspects were arrested in a sting operation.
The Dubai Court of First Instance will issue its verdict into the human trafficking case, the second of its kind this year, next week.
Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution is currently looking into the third case of its kind.
Two Indians suspects are believed to have sold two housemaids, a 23-year-old Bangladeshi and a 33-year-old Indonesian, for Dh9,000 and were forcing them into prostitution.