Waitress weeps as she faces 'rapist' to relive ordeal in court

DUBAI // A waitress wept in court yesterday as she came face to face with the man she says kidnapped and raped her. The 23-year-old Filipina told the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance that she met the defendant, ER, at a party at a friend's house in Satwa in October last year. As she left with another friend, ER, a 31-year-old Emirati, offered to drive them home to Al Jaffiliya.

Her friend left her alone in the car with the defendant, who then drove to a parking area where he attacked her, the court heard. The victim broke down and wept as she described her ordeal before the presiding judge, Fahmy Mounir Fahmy. She said she had tried to persuade her attacker to give her back her labour card, which he had taken earlier in the evening. She said the defendant told her to sit in the car and speak to him before he would return her card.

"When we left the party we were waiting for a taxi, and then he came and insisted on driving us home. He told us that we lived on his way and told us to get in to his car," she told the court. "He held me from my neck and ... raped me. He said he will kill my family in the Philippines and he will kill me if I reported the incident." ER, who is on bail, is charged with kidnap, rape and threatening the woman.

Obaid Ali Obaid, for the defence, asked the woman under cross-examination to identify the defendant's car model. She said she could recall only that it was a two-door vehicle. The victim's friend said that after the attack, the victim was bleeding and distraught. The case was adjourned until July 11 for more witness evidence. [e-mail]