DUBAI // An unemployed man allegedly kidnapped and raped a woman he had hoped to marry, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
MA, a 24-year-old Emirati, asked for HA's hand in marriage but was rejected by her family. Six months later, she married another man. MA is charged with kidnap using force and threats while carrying a weapon, and with rape. He was not present in court to enter a plea.
Prosecutors said that on December 11 last year, HA, also Emirati, parked her vehicle next to Deira School for Adults where she intended to take exams. At around 4pm, the defendant entered her vehicle on the passenger side.
Prosecution records show the defendant asked HA to ride with him. When she refused, he took out a knife and threatened her. He also slashed the car's interior.
HA eventually said she would accompany him but needed to take her exams first. MA waited in his car. HA tried to phone her husband, but MA drove towards her and forced her into his car.
Along the Dubai-Al Ain road, the defendant slapped HA in the face and punched her on her body. He was met by his friends in an Audi who accompanied him to a hotel in Al Ain where he forced HA into a room after taking away her mobile.
MA called the victim's sister and told her they were together. HA's sisters and mother tried unsuccessfully to reach the defendant by phone at the hotel.
HA tried to escape through the hotel room window but the defendant pulled her back in and threw her on the bed. He then raped her.
HA asked the defendant to take her home and on the way asked him to stop and get her a bottle of water. When he did, she jumped into the driver's seat and drove away. She stopped another driver and used his phone to call her husband. She then went to her sister's house before going to Al Muraqqabat police station to report the incident.
HA's sister NM testified that the defendant often called her and cried because he and HA did not get married. He would tell NM that he loved HA.
On the day of the incident he called NM to find out where HA was.
The next hearing will be on July 23 to summon the defendant.
