Dubai // Two escorts offered vice officers Dh30,000 to clear their names from police records and release them, a court has heard.
An Uzbek, N M, 36, and a Croatian, V K, 34, appeared in the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance yesterday accused of bribing a public official. They denied the charge. Their lawyer told the court that the incident stemmed from a mistranslation.
The women were due to be deported after being arrested by police while working as prostitutes at a Dubai hotel this year.
N M approached an officer involved in the case in mid-July and initially offered sexual favours for her release.
"When she flirted with me I scolded her, but then she offered me Dh15,000," an arresting officer told prosecutors.
The policeman reported the incident to his commander and was instructed to follow through with N M to see if she wanted to hand over the bribe. She returned on July 23 with V K and the money, he said.
"Another officer was present and the deal that was offered was that they would pay Dh15,000 to each of us to clear their names off the criminal record, cancel their deportation order and release them," the officer said.
After the money was handed over, a team of three policemen raided the office and presented the women for investigation.
The court will reconvene next month to hear testimony.
