Two expats charged with trafficking of women

Abu Dhabi: A Filipina was charged on Sunday at the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance with trafficking 16 women, also from the Philippines.

A Filipino was charged with assisting her, as well as committing adultery with the female defendant.

The Filipina allegedly arranged for the women's visas, as well as for their tickets and other travel arrangements. Police said the women were brought to the capital between April and June, and were forced to work as prostitutes by the two defendants.

According to court records, one of the victims eventually escaped to the Philippine embassy and reported her plight. The police then arrested the two defendants. Since then, the victims have been housed at the Ewa'a Shelter for Women and Children, a government shelter in Abu Dhabi.

At the court hearing, a senior social worker from the centre asked Chief Justice Saeed Abdul Bashir, the presiding judge and head of the criminal court at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, if the victims could be repatriated to the Philippines as soon as possible.

Justice Bashir granted permission for the repatriation after the victims told the court they had been forced into prostitution.