Dubai illicit sex couple claim to have been married over the phone

Both defendants were arrested on October 10 when the brother of the maid's sponsor saw her lover naked inside her room.

DUBAI // A couple accused of having illicit sex claimed to a court that they got married four years ago over the phone.

The Bangladeshi couple, MA, a 29-year-old grocery store worker, and maid MF, 23, denied a charge of having consensual sex outside wedlock and told the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours that they were married by a man of religion over the phone.

MF is also charged with facilitating the trespassing of MA into her sponsor's house in Jumeirah 6.

Both defendants were arrested on October 10 when the brother of MF's sponsor saw her lover naked inside her room.

During prosecution interrogations MF said that her "husband" was not naked, he had merely taken his shirt off as he was sick with a high fever.

"Four years ago, when I worked for another sponsor, I got married to MA with my family's consent and by a religious man who married us over the phone,"she told prosecutors.

She explained that they did not have any official documents relating to the marriage.

"My sponsor knew that MA was my husband and he allowed him inside the house but not into my room," she added.

The maid claimed that following a dispute between her and the sponsor's driver, he sought revenge and informed the sponsor's brother about her husband being in her room.

Both defendants claimed they could not remember the name of the Imam who married them over the phone, nor did they remember the name of the mosque where he worked.

The grocery store worker said that he had known MF's sponsor before she worked for him and that he had asked him to hire the maid, telling him at that time that he was married to her.

"He knew she was my wife and always allowed me inside the house and into her room," MA said.

He added that he was planning to return to Bangladesh in January to have a marriage contract issued.

Both were convicted of all charges and sentenced to two months each in prison, to be followed by deportation.