Man who raped shepherd to see out life sentence in prison

The Emirati and his Pakistani accomplices were convicted and sentenced by Dubai Criminal Court in September 2016 but they appealed seeking reduced terms

A man who kidnaped and raped a farm worker will spend life in jail while his two accomplices will see out their ten-year prison sentences for kidnapping and assault.

According to court records, in March 2016, the Pakistani victim, 30, worked as a shepherd for the Emirati defendant’s mother at her farm in Lehbab when he was approached by the unemployed defendant and asked to give him 10 sheep. The victim refused, saying he would have to check with his employer first.

Few days later, the 39-year-old Emirati and the two Pakistani accomplices, aged 21 and 24, who worked with the shepherd, trespassed into the victim's room, assaulted then restrained him before taking him away, prosecutors said.
"I have nothing to do with it, I just saw as my colleague kidnapped the shepherd but I have no idea where he took him," said the 21-year-old defendant while his compatriot told judges that he was at a different farm when the Emirati arrived along with the victim.
"It was nearly 2am and I was sleeping when my countrymen stormed into my room, beat me and tied me up while the boss's son was watching and holding a sword with which he threatened to kill me," said the shepherd who was then dragged into a car, shoved inside its boot and taken away.

The victim said that on the way, the men stopped the car and he was taken out of the boot and seated in the back seat before being stripped of his clothes.
"I remained naked until they stopped the car in a remote desert area. They threw me out of the car to the ground then my two colleagues restrained me while the sponsor's son raped me," the shepherd told the court.
Afterwards the man was taken back to the farm where the Emirati slaughtered a sheep and had it barbecued along with his two accomplices.
"He threatened to kill a member of my family and eat him if I told anyone about what happened" the victim said.
Once the three men left the farm, the victim told his sponsor what happened. He was escorted by the Emirati defendant's brother to the police station where he reported the incident.
"The Emirati defendant ran away when he knew that the shepherd reported the incident, but was arrested few days later," said a 28-year-old Emirati policeman.
A medical report confirmed that the shepherd had been raped.
The three men were charged with kidnap. The Emirati was additionally charged with rape while the two Pakistanis were also charged with trespassing and physical assault.
They denied all charges in the criminal and appeal courts but were convicted of all charges.

In September 2016, the Emirati was sentenced to life in prison while the two others were sentenced to ten years in jail followed by deportation.

On Wednesday Dubai Court of Appeal upheld their sentences.