Businesswoman who kidnapped and assaulted ex-boyfriend in Dubai to see out jail term


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DUBAI // Prosecutors failed in their attempt to increase a one-year suspended sentence for a businesswoman who kidnapped and assaulted her former boyfriend.

The court was told the woman, 30, from Sri Lanka, asked the victim to return intimate photos of her. He refused so on December 13 last year, she called two male friends, a 29-year-old compatriot and a 36-year-old from Sudan, and asked them to help to her kidnap the victim.

They took him from a flat in Karama to her flat in Abu Hail.

After forcing him into a car, the woman hit the victim in the face with her phone and shoes.

Prosecutors said she asked for her pictures and said if he refused, she would strip him naked, take photos of him and use them against him.

“He didn’t mind and he took off his clothes,” she said.

The two men said they asked the victim to hand over the photos, but he refused.

“I tried to convince him and asked him why he had sent her pictures to some family members but he didn’t answer,” said the Sri Lankan defendant.

“I didn’t kidnap him and he got undressed on his own, after which he offended me, so I beat him up,” the woman said.

All three denied kidnapping but were found guilty a Dubai Criminal Court in June and all were given a one-year suspended sentence.

On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal upheld the earlier verdict.​

tzriqat@thenational.ae

'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.

“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.

“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”

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