Dubai: An off-duty police lieutenant has been cleared of charges of kidnapping a woman visitor and luring her to his car and attempting to rape her in the back seat.
However, the 26-year-old police lieutenant, K.S., was sentenced for one year in jail for molesting and abusing the 21-year-old Yemeni visitor in his car after he offered to drive her to a mall.
K.S. was said to have lured the woman to his car after he offered to drive her to a mall. Then he changed his route and stopped in a deserted area where he was reported to have undressed the woman by force and, when she stopped him from doing so, he abused her sexually in August.
Citing lack of corroborated evidence, the Dubai Court of First Instance acquitted K.S. of kidnap and attempted rape.
According to Tuesday’s ruling, presiding judge Mohammad Jamal sentenced K.S. to one year for molestation.
The defendant had pleaded not guilty and denied all his accusations when he showed up in court.
“I did not do any of those things,” the defendant argued in court.
According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said K.S. exploited the fact that the woman was unfamiliar with Dubai as she was a visitor and kidnapped her using deceit. Then he tried to rape her and abused her sexually using physical violence.
The defendant’s lawyer defended in court that the woman willingly rode with his client, who did not try to rape the Yemeni.
The woman said the incident happened after K.S. texted her on BlackBerry Messenger after 7.30pm.
“He identified himself as someone else and offered to pick me up from my place to drive me to the mall. I asked him to meet me directly at the mall. He called me after 10 minutes and said he was in the parking of my residence. I rode with him in his car to go to the mall. Nearly 40 minutes later, he pulled over in a deserted place. He turned towards me and asked me to hug him but I refused. He hugged and kissed me against my will. I yelled and tried to push him away. He forcibly removed my clothes and abused me sexually. Then he stopped a taxi and asked the driver to take me to the mall although I had asked him to drop me,” the woman claimed.
Records said the Yemeni reported the matter to the police directly after that.
A policeman said the woman gave them the description of the car and number plate, after which the defendant was identified and called in for questioning.
K.S. said in court that the woman’s allegations about kidnap and attempted rape were fabricated and unfounded.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
