Dubai: A maid, who absconded from her sponsor due to low salary and worked in prostitution and immoral massage services, has been jailed for three months.
The Indonesian maid, S.H., absconded from her sponsor in 2010 because her salary was low and her sponsor constantly beat her. She stayed in a villa occupied by a number of her countrywomen with whom she became friends and then started working in massage services and prostitution.
Law enforcement officers apprehended S.H. in April in Al Karama for her involvement in prostitution.
When questioned by the police, the Indonesian woman admitted that she had worked in prostitution and that she had a love affair with an Indian worker that resulted in her giving birth to an illegitimate baby boy.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted her of prostitution.
Meanwhile S.H. pleaded guilty to having unmarried sex when she appeared before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court that will soon hand out a ruling [pertaining to the unmarried sex charge].
According to Wednesday’s ruling, presiding judge Fahd Al Shamsi said S.H. will be deported following the completion of her jail term.
The accused testified to police interrogators that her Dh700 salary and the fact that her sponsor constantly beat her forced her to abscond.
“I worked as a housemaid for nine months in 2010. They did not pay my salary although it was low. After absconding, my residency expired as my passport remained with my sponsor. I worked in several houses for a while, then moved in to stay with other Indonesian women. I got acquainted with a Bangladeshi man and arranged with him to work in a massage centre where I used to offer sexual services and have sex with clients for Dh50. Later I met an Indian worker and we had a love affair. When I got pregnant and I informed him, he ditched me. I never saw him again. I delivered my baby boy in the villa and my countrywomen helped me,” S.H. claimed.
When the defendant was questioned before prosecutors, she requested to be allowed to keep her son with her as long as she remains in custody pending trial.
Wednesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
