Two men involved in human trafficking and ran a brothel, where a woman jumped to her death in an attempt to escape, had their jail sentences increased to 15 years on Sunday.
The Bangladeshi pair, 38 and 40, and a third countryman, 44, were all charged with human trafficking, kidnap, locking up a woman to force her into prostitution, and running a brothel, which they denied at Dubai Criminal Court.
The 38-year-old defendant was convicted of all charges and sentenced to ten years in jail.
His countryman, 40, was convicted of human trafficking. The third defendant was acquitted of all charges but was referred to the Misdemeanours Court for having consensual sex with another woman working in prostitution.
The convicted duo, appealed the sentence seeking acquittal but will now serve 15 years in prison after the Appeal Court overturned the lower court’s sentence and toughened the punishment.
On July 13, 2015, the 38-year-old defendant saw a woman crying near a supermarket in Dubai. Prosecutors said the man lured her into a flat which he had sub-letted and ran as a brothel. He told her a number of women lived in the apartment and worked as maids.
“The defendant introduced her to the three women in the flat who in fact worked as prostitutes, then left,” said a police captain, 40.
A day later the woman, who was in her late 40s and was not identified in court records, jumped from the third floor flat in Naif. A forensics report showed that the victim suffered multiple fractures and internal bleeding due to the fall.
"The defendant told us he received a call shortly after and was told that the woman had jumped from the window after she learnt from the other women that she would be forced to work in prostitution," the captain said.
According to court records, the defendant returned and carried the woman's body back to the flat. He told the three women to flee before leaving to Oman.
The officer said police were contacted by a person who witnessed the woman jump and when they arrived, found that the flat door was locked. They forced the door open and found the woman's body.
Police questioned the man whose name was on the lease who told them the names of the two men who were sub-letting the apartment.
"We arrested one at the airport while the other was arrested by Omani authorities and brought back to the UAE," said the officer.
The two Bangladeshi men will be deported after completing their sentences.
