Man, 50, jailed for helping friend force wife into prostitution in Bahrain

Dubai: The Bahrain High Criminal Court has sentenced a 50-year-old Arab man to five years in a case of forced prostitution.

The harrowing episode unfolded when an Arab man tricked his wife into believing they were embarking on a honeymoon trip to Bahrain, while plotting to push her into prostitution with the assistance of his friend residing in Bahrain.

Upon arrival, the woman found herself confined and abused in an apartment by the two men.

Under threats of death and physical violence, she was coerced into prostitution until she managed to break free and report the ordeal, leading to the arrest of her husband.

Initially, the court handed down a 10-year imprisonment sentence to both the husband and his accomplice, alongside a fine of BD2,000 (around Dh19,500) each, with deportation orders post sentence completion.

The accomplice’s 20-year-old son, implicated in the case, received a decade-long prison sentence as well.

The 50-year-old defendant argued that his role was limited to hosting the victim for a day at his residence due to marital disputes she had with her husband, denying any knowledge of the trafficking plan.

The testimony seemingly influenced the court’s decision to halve his original sentence in the final judgment.