Dubai // More than 20 Filipinas have accused three men of locking them up in their accommodation and only allowing them out to work.
The three men claimed it was only to protect the women from sexual harassment in the area, the court heard.
The women, who worked as cleaners in a Dubai hotel, said a bus would collect them at 7am and bring them back at 8pm when their shift was over.
“They would lock the door to the villa and the main entrance outside,” said M T, 30, one of the women.
She said there was a guard in the building to keep an eye on them, and an attendant on the bus.
Prosecutors charged Indians S M, 41, K M, 61, and K A, 54, of illegally locking up the women for more than a month.
“Five days after I joined I was told by my female co-workers that this was the system followed by the hotel management, and that the women gave in because they needed their jobs,” said M T.
“They also told me that one day in every month they would be taken to the market to buy their needs.”
Another worker, M D, 30, said they had not been abused physically or any other way.
“They only prevented us from leaving the accommodation,” she said.
J R, 28, said she signed a contract with the hotel on a monthly salary of Dh1,500, but when she arrived she was given only Dh700 and was locked up with her colleagues.
“They told me the Dh800 was being deducted to cover the expenses of my visa and airplane ticket,” she said.
The three initially admitted to the charges but changed their plea. The next hearing is scheduled for November 24.
salamir@thenational.ae