Footballer was part of trio who robbed and raped two women, Dubai court told

An professional football player is one of three men accused of storming into a house armed with swords and raping two women.

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DUBAI // A professional football player was one of three men who broke into an apartment armed with swords and raped two prostitutes, a court heard today.

The trio stormed into a flat where a group of Ethiopian women were living and ransacked it before taking two of the women and raping them.

Prosecutors told the Criminal Court that KS, 20, an Emirati football player, carried out the raid on December 12 last year with the help of AM, 26, a student and SA, 27, both from Sudan.

The men knocked on the door and stormed in when one of the women answered.

"They threatened us with their weapons and demanded that we hand in our money and valuables," recalled AE, 24, from Ethiopian. She added that the men asked to have sex with two of her flatmates but when the women refused, they were raped.

"They then gathered us in one room and locked us up before they fled, but we had a spare key, so we opened the door and chased them, we managed to see their car's plate number," said the maid.

The women then called police. Investigating officers believe four of the women who lived in the apartment, including AE and the rape victims, were prostitutes.

In court the women, AE, 24; LS, 24; KA, 23; and ST, 28, all Ethiopians, denied charges of prostitution.

The three men were charged with armed robbery. KS and SA alone were charged with rape. AM was charged with aiding and abetting rape.

The men denied all charges and the case was adjourned to May 27.

salamir@thenational.ae