ABU DHABI // A high-ranking police officer was paid Dh25,000 to release an inmate from jail so she could be used as a prostitute, a court heard.
The defendant, Z S H, appeared at the criminal court alongside three Bangladeshi men, who are accused of running a brothel.
The prosecution claimed the Bangladeshis bribed Z S H to secure Indonesian inmate R D’s release from jail.
R D confessed to the prostitution charges, saying she was transferred from prison into the apartment and forced to have sex with 10 to 12 men a day. She said she was only paid Dh12 to Dh15 per client, while the three men kept the rest.
Two police officers who work for Z S H are also accused of issuing false reports to make out they arrested prostitutes in the streets when in fact they were arrested in brothels. They both denied the charges.
Z S H himself claimed the charges were fabricated by people with a grudge against him. He said his position meant he had arrested more than 11,000 visa violators, so many people sought revenge against him.
The three Bangladeshi defendants insisted they were tortured while in police custody to confess.
Prosecutor Ayman Hanafi interrupted their testimont to say that the men had not been tortured into making their confessions.
The three defendants were asked to come forward to show signs of their alleged beatings, but the judge, Chief Justice Sayed Abdul Baseer, was not able to see any signs.
He asked if the men wanted a medical forensics committee to test their claims and they agreed.
Another man S I, from Bangladesh, was accused of stealing two mobile phones and amounts of money in connection with the case, but was not present in court.
The case was adjourned until March 16.
hdajani@thenational.ae
