Businessman, woman charged with forcing minor to be a streetwalker
Picture used for illustrative purpose only.
Ehab Atta, Staff Reporter
The Dubai Criminal Court on Monday heard a human trafficking case in which an Asian businessman, 36, in connivance with a woman, who is still at large, was charged with exploiting a minor less than 16 years of age and forcing her to work as a prostitute.
The victim testified that she came to the UAE to work and help her family keep the wolf from the door in her home country.
She added that her aunt sent somebody to receive her at the airport.
Later, she lived with her aunt for five months before the latter asked her to work in massage centres and as a prostitute for Dhs50 a day in excess of her salary.
The victim worked for seven days but could not continue. Her aunt, however, told her that she must continue otherwise, she would have to send her back to her home country.
In the meantime, the victim met the defendant but when her aunt learnt about their relationship, she broke her mobile phone to prevent her from calling the defendant.
The defendant bought another mobile phone for the victim and asked her one day to meet him.
They both went to a nightclub and he offered her a soft drink mixed with alcohol.
As she started to lose focus, the defendant took her to an apartment where he had sex with her. When she woke up, she discovered what he did to her.
The defendant then took her to a massage centre to do again what she used to do. When she refused to do so, the defendant brought the victim back to her aunt. The victim told her aunt what happened.
A month later, the victim’s aunt was arrested on charges of prostitution. The aunt called the defendant and asked him to look after the victim.
The defendant asked the victim to obey his orders and work in massage centres as this was the only work that would help her earn money to assist her family in her home country.
The victim accepted to work again as a prostitute and continued to work for four months, during which the defendant gave her only Dhs200, which she sent to her family in her home country.
