Men posed as talent scouts to rape woman, court told



DUBAI // Two men denied forcing a woman to have sex with them, telling the court today that the intercourse was consensual.

Prosecutors said MF, 35, and MT, 29, both Pakistani security guards, used scissors to threaten OS, 30, into taking off her clothes before they both raped her on July 9.

"We had sex with her your honour, but she was fine with it," the men told the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance.

OS, a Filipina waitress, told prosecutors that about 11.30am as she was leaving a gift shop in Mutaina area, MF stopped her and showed her a catalogue, claiming he owned a fashion advertisement agency.

"He offered to take my pictures for the catalogue and pay me for it, but I refused," OS said.

She said he showed her several contracts for other Filipinas to persuade her and suggested she accompany him to his agency to sign the contract. She said she told him she would take the contract home to read it before signing anything.

He insisted that she come to the agency, she told prosecutors, so she agreed.

"I was surprised when he opened the door of an apartment and pushed me inside," she testified.

MF threw her onto a sofa bed and threatened her with scissors when she refused to have sex with him, she said. She told prosecutors MF then called MT, who was hiding in the bathroom.

Both men then took turns having sex with her for more than an hour before releasing her, she said.

Afterwards, she told her roommate and colleague MS, who informed their manager, who called police.

MS, also a Filipina waitress, said OS came home devastated and crying but was scared to say what had happened to her because the men had threatened to harm her.

"She told me of their address after many hours, then I told my boss," MS said.

A forensics report found DNA evidence of the two men.

The men will appear again on November 3.

salamir@thenational.ae

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Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes. 
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com