20200918 Dubai Courts
A view of the Dubai Courts building. Image Credit: Gulf News Archives

Dubai: A Dubai salesman has been accused of attempted rape of a visitor before she was rescued by her friend.

The Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Tuesday the 22-year-old woman from Latvia testify that she went to the bathroom at her apartment in Al Barsha. When she returned, she saw the defendant waiting in her room.

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“I was checking my phone when I entered the room and saw him inside. I was scared and texted a message to my friend who was staying in the same building, asking for help,” said the woman on record.

According to the victim, the 33-year-old Pakistani defendant asked her to kiss him before pushing her down on the bed.

“I told him its my sleeping time, but he pushed me on to the bed and tried to rape me. I resisted him until my friend arrived.”

The 27-year-old friend from South Africa entered the room and asked the victim to go to his apartment. He also informed the building supervisor. After five days, the victim went to Al Barsha Police Station to report the crime.

“She texted me that she needed help. I heard her yelling at the defendant and asking him to leave, when I pushed the door open. He was wearing an underwear and she told me that he tried to rape her,” the South African witness said on record.

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The defendant then went to the balcony and threatened to jump off if they alerted the police, but the witness restrained him and called another friend and the building’s supervisor for help. “He told me that he wanted to have sex with the victim,” the witness testified.

Dubai Police arrested the defendant and Dubai Public Prosecution has charged him with attempted rape. The next hearing will be on September 15.