Salesman accused of party assault in Dubai

Dubai: A salesman has been accused of rape by a woman who claimed she was assaulted during a party at his villa.

The suspect, A.S., 47, allegedly forced himself on J.M., 30, after a round of heavy drinking. Chief prosecutor Khalid Salem Al A'alawi sought the death penalty against A.S.

The charges against A.S., an Indian national, were not formally filed in the Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday with the presiding judge adjourning the trial until June 5 to allow for the defence to state its case.

Prosecutors said the salesman exploited the fact that J.M. had consumed alcohol and passed out on a couch after the party which he threw at his villa in Jumeirah.

Testimony

A.S. carried J.M. to his bedroom and undressed her at which point she resisted him. A.S. allegedly beat the woman into submission before raping her.

An Emirati policeman testified that A.S. claimed to having consensual sex with J.M., a Filipina, when he was arrested. He also claimed J.M. was a prostitute.

The plaintiff testified that she and her friend, S.D., had been invited to the party.

"We drank and by midnight I passed out on the couch; in the morning I found myself on the bed and A.S. sleeping beside me. When I asked him about S.D., he claimed that she had left. He punched me twice because I refused to respond to his sexual advances. Then he tried to choke me and pinned me down on the bed. I cried and pleaded with him to let me go but he ignored me and continued with the assault. He left the room when he had finished. I found the door locked when I tried to walk out. I stayed in the room and I was surprised when S.D. woke me up later. She helped me dress and we went to the hospital," J.M. told prosecutors.

Friend's statement

S.D. testified that when she woke up in the morning she saw that the suspect had bruises on his arms.

"He claimed he scuffled with J.M. but never mentioned why. I walked behind him to the bedroom and saw my friend unconscious. She was naked on the bed and had blood and injuries on her body. When I woke her up, she cried and told me that A.S. had raped her. We reported the matter to police," S.D. told prosecutors.