Four people lured an absconding housemaid into prostitution then tried to sell her, Dubai Criminal Court was told.
The 41-year-old mother-of-three first accepted a job as a housemaid for an Emirati family in Abu Dhabi after she and her husband divorced in their home country of Indonesia.
Before arriving in the country, she was given the telephone number of an Indonesian woman living in Al Ain whom she could call if she needed any help.
After working as a housemaid for nearly six months, she called the woman and asked her to help her find another job.
“My sponsor’s wife was constantly complaining about almost every thing I did,” she said according to court records.
She told the court that her countrywoman convinced her to abscond and offered her a job in Dubai for Dh1,500 a month instead.
“She said it’s a part-time job, but I didn't know nor did I expect it would be in prostitution,” the housemaid said.
On January 20, she ran away from the Emirati family’s house and took a bus to Dubai. There she was met by a Bangladeshi man who took her to a flat in Al Muraqqabat.
“I met a woman who told me she knew my countrywoman and arranged a job with her but she didn't say any details about the job. Two days later, I was told the job was to work as a prostitute, but I refused,” the woman said.
“They told me I had nowhere else to go and I didn't have any money, so I gave in.”
She worked as a prostitute for 13 days before she was rescued by police after being offered for sale.
Police said they received a tip off about a woman being offered for sale in return for Dh5,500.
“An undercover policeman posed as buyer and we arrested the four men involved on February 5 at nearly midnight,” said an Emirati policeman, 26.
The woman was referred to Dubai Foundation for Women and Children.
During police questioning, the suspects said that they worked with another woman - whose nationality and age were not disclosed in records - who lures women to their apartment to work in prostitution.
Two of the Bangladeshi defendants, aged 25 and 28, were charged with a human trafficking.
The other two, aged 31 and 36, were charged with aiding and abetting.
All four were charged with running a brothel and facilitating prostitution and denied all charges in court.
The next hearing is scheduled for May 24.
