DUBAI // A Filipina tourist was kidnapped, beaten, threatened with rape and murder, then dumped on the street, a court heard yesterday.
The 31-year-old tourist, JM, was approached at 4am on April 15 last year by an Emirati man and his uncle while she was waiting, in front of the house where she was staying in Satwa, to meet a friend, the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance was told.
The men stopped their car, flirted with her and offered her a ride, which she declined, court records of her testimony show.
"When I refused to join them, I walked away and [MA] chased me with his car and blocked my way by parking it in front of me," JM told prosecutors.
The men then opened the car doors, beat her to the ground, kicked her in the head and pulled her by her hair towards the car, prosecutors said.
An unemployed Emirati, MA, 26, was charged with kidnap and threatening the women with rape and murder. His uncle, identified as WH, was not charged in the case.
When JM tried to escape, MA slapped her, pulled her hair and punched her several times, court records of her testimony show. "He tried to pull me inside the car and slapped me around, then put me on the floor and stepped on my neck and kicked me in the head," she said. "My friend arrived and tried to pull me away, but WH grabbed her."
WH and MA grabbed JM by her hands and legs, put her inside the car and pulled her friend inside too, records of her testimony show.
"WH was driving towards Mirdif, while MA was telling me that he has 10 friends there and that they will rape me and kill me, as he was punching me in the car," she said.
When the kidnappers arrived in Mirdif they met five men and drove back to Satwa with the women, and parked in front of MA's house. It is unclear why the men returned.
"I jumped out of the car and raced to a grocer, asking for help," court records of JM's testimony show.
Police were called to the scene, as well as an ambulance. MA was apprehended by police on August 11 last year.
MA did not appear at Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance to enter his plea yesterday. The court adjourned the trial to February 1.
amustafa@thenational.ae
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