Dubai: A Moroccan businesswoman has denied working as a prostitute and sexually exploiting her compatriot and forcing her into prostitution under duress and beating her with a shisha stick.
Prosecutors charged the 26-year-old businesswoman, N.L., with committing a human trafficking crime by forcing her 23-year-old compatriot, G.S., to have sex with a stranger for money.
"No sir… I am innocent. I did not force her into prostitution at all. I also did not work in prostitution myself," said N.L. when she pleaded not guilty and defended herself before the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday.
Exploited
According to the arraignment sheet, prosecutors said N.L. exploited G.S.'s needs and weakness and forced her into prostitution under duress.
Records said the defendant claimed to G.S. that she would hire her to work as an attendant in a wedding hall. Then she locked her up in a flat for nearly 15 days before she beat her with a shisha stick on her legs and pressured her to have sex with men for money.
Prosecutors also accused N.L. of working in prostitution. The suspect's lawyer asked presiding judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi to hear prosecution witnesses when the court reconvenes on November 13.
G.S. testified that she agreed to pay Dh20,000 visa fees to N.L.'s mother in Morocco.
"I met the defendant in Morocco. She claimed that she ran her own garment shop. N.L. convinced me that she would process for me a labour visa to come and work in a wedding hall in Dubai. I paid the money to her mother. When I arrived in Dubai, N.L. took me to a flat in Al Muhaisnah… and she took my passport claiming that my sponsor required it. I stayed in the flat nearly 15 days and I did not start work. I repeatedly asked her when would I start work, but she never gave me a clear answer.
Sting operation
"I refused her suggestion to work in prostitution. Then she beat me with a shisha stick and coerced me to have sex with strange men for money which she used to take for herself. I was forced to agree because I did not know anyone in Dubai. I couldn't run away from the flat because the door was always locked. Yet one day … I convinced her to allow me to go buy a telephone recharge card… I never returned to the flat and walked until I reached Al Ghusais Police Station," claimed G.S.
An Emirati policeman claimed that G.S. cooperated with the police to arrest N.L. in a sting operation.
The trial continues.
