DUBAI // A jobless Emirati has denied kidnapping a farm worker and raping him but his two Pakistani accomplices told Dubai Criminal Court that he did it.
Prosecutors said the Emirati defendant’s father employs the victim and the two Pakistani accused were his co-workers.
“About 10 days before the incident [on March 4], the sponsor’s son came to me and demanded 10 sheep, which I refused before telling his mother,” said the 30-year-old Pakistani victim.
On the day of the incident, he said his two colleagues forced their way into his room as he slept at about 2am, assaulted him and tied him up, while the Emirati was watching and holding a sword to his neck while threatening to kill him.
“They dragged me into a car and shoved me into its boot, then drove away,” said the man.
On the way, he said he was taken out of the boot and seated on the back seat then stripped of his clothes.
“I remained naked until they reached a desert area where they threw me to the ground and my two colleagues restrained me while the sponsor’s son raped me,” said the victim.
The man was then taken back to the farm, where the Emirati had slaughtered a sheep, and the three accused had a barbecue.
“He threatened me against telling anyone about what happened and, if I did, he would kill one of my family members and eat him,” said the victim.
After the three men left, the victim headed to his sponsor’s home and told him what had happened. He was escorted by the Emirati defendant’s brother to the police station to report the incident.
The Emirati was arrested a few days after the report was made, said a 28-year-old policeman.
“He had run away after learning that the victim reported him,” said the Emirati officer.
The 21-year-old Pakistani accused told court: “I witnessed as the first suspect kidnapped him but I have no idea where he took him.”
His 24-year-old co-accused compatriot added that he was at the farm when the kidnapped man was brought by the Emirati defendant.
The three men are charged with kidnap while the 39-year-old Emirati denied an additional charge of rape. The Pakistani defendants also denied charges of trespassing into the victim’s room and assaulting him.
A medical report confirmed that the victim had been raped.
The next hearing is on October 23.
salamir@thenatioanl.ae
