Dubai: A woman, who was made to sign a promissory note worth Dh4.2 million to obtain a labour visa for Dubai, ended up being forced into prostitution.

A 22-year-old Moroccan woman, A.F., was said to have tricked her countrywoman and convinced her that she would be hired in a salon before coercing her to become a prostitute in May.

Prosecutors accused A.F. of sexually exploiting her countrywoman and forcing her to have sex with strangers for money.

“I was promised work in a salon and they made me sign a promissory note that I would pay them Dh4.2 million against having my visa processed. Once I landed in Dubai, I was told that I would be working in prostitution,” the countrywoman told prosecutors.

Prosecutors also charged a 28-year-old Syrian woman, R.M., who was said to have run a brothel in a flat where she made an illegal profit from Moroccan [including the victim] and Syrian prostitutes.

The two suspects, A.F. and R.M., entered a not guilty plea when they defended themselves before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday.

Records said a Saudi man paid the victim Dh1,500 for sex in a hotel where she cried in front of him and unveiled her alleged ordeal.

The Saudi then decided not to sleep with the victim and instead took her to the airport and booked her a ticket home. When aviation officers told her that she could not travel because her labour contract had not been cancelled, she disclosed what had happened to her to the airport’s police.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors charged the Moroccan A.F. with committing a human trafficking crime and confining the victim in the flat.

The Syrian was accused of running the flat as a brothel and making illegal profits.

“I did not coerce her into prostitution… that is not true,” argued A.F. when she defended herself in courtroom three.

Addressing presiding judge Ezzat Abdul Lat, R.M. contended: “I live in that flat and I did not run it as a brothel. That is impossible because I live there with my children.”

“Why did she complain against you then?” presiding judge asked A.F.

“Sir, I do not know that woman. She complained because she wanted her passport. I’ve been in detention for seven months and I have two children who need me with them,” replied the 22-year-old.

The alleged Moroccan victim testified to prosecutors that her passport was taken away from her once she arrived at the flat.

“I stayed in the flat for nearly a week, during which I was not picked up by any sex client. They used to take us to hotels and promote us before clients and charge Dh1,500 for six hours. Then a Saudi man paid Dh1,500 and took me up to the hotel room. That luxurious hotel’s policy required that I should be carrying my passport to check in. I cried in front of him as soon as we entered the room… then I told him my story. He took me to the airport and purchased a ticket. When they told me that I had to cancel my employment contract to be able to travel, I reported the matter to the police,” the victim claimed.

An anti-human trafficking policeman testified that the defendants were arrested shortly after raiding the flat.

The trial continues.