ABU DHABI // A man has denied trying to rape a woman who fled from a hotel room clad only in a towel, a court has heard.
S, an Emirati, had not harmed the Saudi Arabian woman and claimed she fled from the room after he refused to give her drugs, his lawyer said.
The woman said she had become lost in the Shangri-La Hotel and asked him to guide her to her room.
She claimed he forced his way inside the room, ordered and paid for alcohol from room service, then tried to rape her before she fled.
His lawyer, Fayza Moussa, said that the woman’s clothes had not been torn off, the room was tidy and the bed was still made.
“The forensics lab also proved that he did not touch her,” Mrs Moussa said.
The defendant denied pushing his way into the room. “The video is available to show I did not push or break anything to get inside. I entered under her consent.”
Mrs Moussa said that if the woman really did become lost, she could have asked hotel staff for assistance.
“I know the Shangri-La Hotel very well. There are countless employees roaming around in their uniforms,” she said.
“Even when you exit the elevator of the rooms, you see signs with room numbers and directions.
“Let’s assume she doesn’t know how to read numbers or suffered sudden memory loss when she entered. She could have asked any employee for directions.
“This is the logical thing to do for a respectful, modest woman.”
Mrs Moussa said the woman did not show any signs of fear or nervousness as she walked with the defendant. “When she entered, she could have locked the door.”
She said that after S ordered the alcohol, the woman could have asked the room service employee to rescue her. Yet the woman stayed with him.
Chief Justice Dr Khairi Al Kabbash then told the defendant he should not have accepted the woman’s invitation in the first place.
“Forget about life’s CCTV cameras and remember Heaven’s CCTV, which records every single thing,” Dr Al Kabbash said.
Mrs Moussa said her client suffered cancer and there was nothing left for him to lose.
“Repent to Allah then,” replied Dr Al Kabbash.
She told the court he was married and had sons and daughters, and should be bailed as he had already spent six months in jail.
The court accepted the bail request and adjourned until later this month to announce a verdict.
hdajani@thenational.ae
