Weeping housemaid assaults ex-sponsor and wife in court

Dubai: An outraged and weeping housemaid assaulted her former employer and his wife as they were walking out of court yesterday before being restrained and handcuffed by a policewoman.

Prosecutors accused the 27-year-old Sri Lankan maid, O.D., and her 38-year-old countryman employer, P.H., of having consensual sex.

Gulf News spotted O.D., who is in custody, attacking P.H., who is on bail, and his wife while they walking out of courtroom five yesterday.

When the suspects stood trial before the Dubai Misdemeanour Court's Presiding Judge Zakaria Abdul Aziz, P.H. pleaded guilty and admitted having consensual sex with O.D.

However, O.D. was heard telling the court, "No I did not have sex with him."

Shortly after the judge adjourned the hearing, all in courtroom five were taken by surprise when O.D., who seemed devastated, attacked P.H. and his wife. She was also spotted trying to attack a third man who was seated in the back row.

A policewoman managed to restrain the maid, who was crying and handcuffed her.

Court records said the case surfaced shortly after P.H., accused his maid of stealing Dh40,000 worth of jewellery and accessories that belonged to his wife.

Prosecution records showed the theft charges were dropped against O.D. due to lack of evidence.

Court records said P.H. and his family went on vacation and the maid went with them. During the vacation, O.D. told her sponsor she wanted to stay in her country and asked him to cancel her visa.

Records said P.H. cancelled her visa and when he returned to Dubai he discovered she had allegedly stolen his wife's jewellery and gold accessories.

The man complained to the police. A few days later, according to prosecution records, O.D. phoned his wife and told her she had returned to Dubai and that she had not stolen her belongings.

"Police arrested me later. I denied stealing the jewellery. I worked for P.H. for around a year, during which he had consensual sex with me many times. He lodged the robbery complaint against me because I asked him to stop having sex with me and to cancel my visa," O.D. told prosecutors.

The trial continues.