A drunk carpenter allegedly raped a cleaner in a shopping mall after getting into women’s toilet, gaging her mouth and pulling her into a changing room where he beat her up and raped her.
On July 10 at around 2.30am, ST, 25, Nepali was on her duty cleaning women’s toilets in a shopping mall when all of a sudden she noticed a man standing behind her through the mirror, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
“I tuned back and asked him what he is doing here and that these toilets are for women. I tried to be away from him and get out of the toilet while pulling my mobile from my pocket. He rushed towards me and took the mobile; he slapped me, gagged my mouth with a hand and dragged me into the changing room. He slapped me several times before pushing me down to the floor,” she testified.
The attacker, who works in a neighbouring construction company, then allegedly raped her.
As he heard movements outside, he left the scene.
The victim rushed to a security staff, and reported the incident.
Ambulance arrived and rushed the victim to the hospital.
Lieutenant Yousef Mohammed arrived at the scene and saw the victim was in a hysteric situation.
“She was weeping and hysterical. We searched for the accused in his office but did not find him. However, a colleague caaught him behind the toilet area outside the mall, hiding between cars,” testified the officer.
Confronting him with the allegations at the scene, the accused admitted to raping the victim claiming that in revenge of abusing him, testified Captain Aqeel Mohammed who also noticed redness on the victim’s cheeks.
When questioned at the police station, the accused made different stories.
“Once he said that he got into the toilet to meet her, she abused him so he slapped her. Then he said that he saw her in the changing room while she was taking off her dress, but because she abused him, he slapped her and do not know what happened later because he was under the influence of alcohol,” said Lieutenant Yousef.
However, later he claimed that he had consensual sex.
The accused admitted to drinking three bottles of whisky.
Forensic reported that the victim sustained injuries and bruises on her lips and body and that sperms of the accused were found in her body.
The court will reconvene on November 15.