DUBAI // A man convicted of attempting to rape his friend will have to see out his three-year jail sentence, the Dubai Court of Appeal has ruled.
At an earlier hearing, the Criminal Court was told the victim, a 21-year-old Filipina, had to jump from the first-floor apartment to escape her attacker, Pakistani E W, 28.
The woman was with EW on November 9 last year at Global Village when he told her that he had to go to his office to pick up some documents.
“We went to this office in Deira. I went with him to a first- floor flat where I sat on a couch while he got his documents,” said the woman, adding E W came back topless.
“He then took off his trousers and stood naked in front of me. I knew he had bad intentions and he wanted to rape me,” said the Filipina.
She said E W threw her on the sofa and pulled off her clothes before sitting on top of her. He then started kissing her against her will.
“I played along like I was OK with it but sought a glass of water. When he got off me I went to the window, opened it and threatened to jump. But he started laughing so I threw myself out and fainted,” said the woman, who woke up to find herself on the ground with a crowd of people standing around her.
“I saw that he had brought my purse and shoes, which he knocked off of my feet while trying to force himself on me, but he kept the leggings,” she said.
Police and an ambulance arrived and the woman was taken to Rashid Hospital where she was found to have suffered broken ribs and bruises.
Pakistani witness M A, 46, said he heard a loud noise on the day of the alleged attack.
“I was in the shop where I work when suddenly I heard a loud sound of something hitting the floor. When I checked I found a woman lying unconscious,” he said.
“Then I saw a man coming out of the building from where the woman had fallen. He was carrying a purse which he threw next to her and then fled.”
E W was arrested and charged with attempted rape, which he denied in court last March.
He was found guilty and sentenced to three years in jail to be followed by deportation.
salamir@thenational.ae