Dubai: A man has been jailed for two years for raping his maid while she was hanging the laundry out to dry.
The 26-year-old Emirati man, E.M., twisted the 33-year-old Filipina maid’s arm and threatened to kill her before he forced her into a tent in his villa and raped her in July.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted E.M. of having forced sex with his maid although he pleaded not guilty.
The accused threatened to kill his maid before he pushed her into the tent, according to records, and raped her.
The maid testified that the incident happened while she was hanging out the laundry in the villa’s yard.
“The defendant came from behind and forced me into the tent and closed its door. I tried to free myself, but he was stronger and did not let me go. He threatened to kill me … then he kissed me. I could not push him away because he had overpowered me. He had forced sex with me. When he finished and let go of me, I cried. He shouted at me and said he would beat me or kill me if I continued crying. Then he left the tent. After he and his wife left the villa, I contacted the Philippines Consulate. They asked me to leave the villa immediately and head to the consulate. I was taken to the police to complain,” she said.
Another Filipina maid [who works for the same sponsor] said she spotted E.M. twisting her co-worker’s arm behind her back and forcing her into the tent.
“I was cleaning the house at around 7.30am when I saw E.M. pushing the other maid into the tent from the window … I did not know what was happening. Later on I saw her crying in the tent before she told me what had happened,” she claimed.
Thursday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
