Abu Dhabi man cleared of raping maid

A man accused of raping a maid and sexually harassing another has been cleared by the criminal court.

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ABU DHABI // A man accused of raping a maid and sexually harassing another has been cleared by the criminal court.

MS, Emirati, was accused of raping MB, from Indonesia, and sexually harassing MS, from the Philippines.

The two maids fled to their respective embassy a few days after the incident. MB, who said she was a virgin before the alleged attack, filed for civil compensation.

MS denied the charges saying MB had asked him for Dh5,000 to withdraw her accusation. He said he felt he was being blackmailed for something he did not do he refused to pay.

His defence attorney, Fayza Moussa, argued that the two witnesses' statements contradicted police, prosecution and court investigations.

Moreover, the clothes MB presented with her blood on them as evidence of the rape did not match the clothes she described in police records.

"There is no way for the forensics lab to prove whether the blood on the underwear was from breaking her virginity or if it were period blood," she added.

hdajani@thenatinal.ae