Vendor accused of raping teacher in her flat

Dubai: A vendor has been accused of beating a teacher and raping her in her bedroom after he forced his way into her studio flat at Dubai Silicon Oasis.

The 30-year-old Nigerian vendor, E.S., was said to have met the British teacher in the lift of the building where she lives before he entered her flat while she was opening the door and then raped her in January.

Prosecutors accused E.S. of trespass, assault and rape.

The suspect pleaded not guilty and dismissed his three accusations when he showed up before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the suspect forced his way into the Briton’s flat where he assaulted her and then raped her. “No. No. No,” the suspect was heard telling presiding judge Mohammad Jamal in court.

When asked if he could afford a lawyer, the suspect told the court that the embassy of his country would hire one to defend him.

The Briton claimed to prosecutors that the incident happened around 3am shortly after she ran into the Nigerian suspect in the lift of the building where she lives.

“Firstly, I thought he lived in the same building. When he asked me, I told him that I live on the 25th floor … when I walked out of the lift, I was astonished to see him following me. When I asked him why he had followed me, he claimed that he wanted to ensure that I reached home safely. I asked him to stop chasing me and reached my door … once I opened my door, he forced himself into my flat. I could not stop him because he was physically stronger than me. He prevented me from running out of my flat when I tried to run away. He pushed me into the flat, carried me to the bed … he removed my clothes and raped me. I could not fight him back as he overpowered me. Then when I ran to the washroom, he chased me … I tried to prevent him from closing the door. Then he stopped and walked away. After he left the flat, I dressed up and went to my friend’s place and then reported the incident to the police,” the teacher testified.

A police officer claimed to prosecutors that the suspect was apprehended in a place close to the neighbourhood.

“During questioning, E.S. claimed that the Briton was drunk and she had asked him to help her carry a bag for her to the flat. The suspect alleged that she was very drunk and invited him to her flat where she also willingly asked him to have sex with her … he claimed that she willingly let him into her flat and took off her clothes on her own. The building’s surveillance cameras showed the teacher and the suspect chatting for a bit before walking into the lift … the Briton was also shown handing him a bag once they entered the lift,” the officer testified.

The trial continues.