DUBAI // An Egyptian raped his Brazilian friend in her hotel room after conning her out of US$120,000 (Dh440,000), the Dubai Criminal Court was told.
The 38-year-old victim, who works as a plastic surgeon, said she met the 32-year-old defendant in 2011 in Egypt. They became close friends and she even performed procedures on his family members.
“In 2014 he proposed to me and I refused. Then he suggested that I open a clinic in Dubai since he worked there. We agreed that he handle the procedures and I sent him the cash,” said the woman.
She added that she came to Dubai several times to follow up on the deal but the clinic was never opened and her cash never returned to her.
“I didn’t want to file charges because of our friendship and I knew his mother. On March 13 this year I arrived in Dubai after he insisted I come and even offered to pay for the ticket and visa. He told me it was about the clinic,” the Brazilian said.
“At nearly 8am on March 14 he sent me a text asking about my hotel room number. I told him we’ll meet in a cafe but an a hour later he texted me again asking me to open the door as he was outside,” she said.
The victim said she was attacked as soon as she opened the door. The defendant gagged her mouth and scratched her face before throwing her on the bed and raping her.
The following day the woman spoke to a lawyer in Dubai and was advised to report the incident. On March 16, she visited Al Rashidiya police station and lodged a complaint.
A 39-year-old policeman said the defendant denied going to the hotel and claimed he met the woman at a mall car park.
“When he was shown camera footage of him getting into the woman’s room, he confessed he went to her room,” said the officer.
DNA samples found on the woman’s body matched that of the defendant.
He denied a charge of rape in court. The next hearing will be on June 29.
salamir@thenational.ae
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