Man jailed in Dubai over seizing woman in his villa, abusing her

Dubai: A man has been sentenced to two years in jail in Dubai over charges of raping a woman after they met on a social media platform.

According to the Dubai Court of First Instance, the 24-year-old expatriate woman met the defendant in April last year on SnapChatt. After months of chatting, the duo decided to meet in July last year at a hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road.

The woman claimed that both of them had consumed alcohol before the defendant asked the woman to join his friends at a villa in Jumeirah Village Circle.

Villa visit

“I asked one of his friends to drive my car as I don’t drink and drive. It was after midnight when we reached the villa. I went to the bathroom on the second floor and then wanted to sleep as I was tired,” said the woman on record.

The defendant then locked the door, stripped naked and jumped on to the bed. The defendant resisted him and begged him to leave her, but he slapped her on the face and threatened to bring all the other men in the villa over and have her raped if she refused to engage in a sexual act with him.

The woman claimed that she was terrified with the threat and so allowed him to have his way.

Claim of consensual sex

“For three months he was polite while chatting with me and he had told me that it was his villa. I was speaking in Arabic with him as I’m from an Arab origin,” added the woman. The defendant finally allowed her to leave the villa and it was only then that she reported the incident to Al Barsha Police Station.

The defendant claimed, on record, that he had had consensual sex with the woman.

Dubai Public Prosecution has charged the defendant with kidnapping, sexual abuse, threatening and rape.

The verdict has been appealed and the first hearing at Dubai Court of Appeal will be next month.