Dubai: A jobless man has been jailed for life for asking two farmers help him kidnap a shepherd, bring him to a desert area where he raped him.
The 39-year-old Emirati man visited his mother’s farm in Al Aweer area to take 10 sheep but the Pakistani shepherd did not allow him to do so in March 2016.
When the shepherd refused to give him sheep, the Emirati man returned to the farm with two Pakistani farmers, aged 21 and 24, and kidnapped the shepherd. They drove off to a desert area where the two farmers tied up the shepherd and the Emirati raped him.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 39-year-old of kidnapping and raping the victim.
According to Sunday’s ruling, presiding judge Ahmad Mohammad jailed the Pakistani farmers for 10 years each for aiding the Emirati in his crime.
The two farmers, who pleaded not guilty, will be deported following the completion of their jail terms.
They told the court that the Emirati man forced them to go with him and bring the shepherd to the desert.
The 30-year-old shepherd said he was asleep when the defendants woke him up and kidnapped him at knifepoint.
“They assaulted me and raped me … the 39-year-old drove his vehicle meanwhile he ordered the farmers to remove my clothes. He stopped in a desert area, dragged me out of the car, the Pakistani duo pinned me down and the Emirati raped me. The 39-year-old pointed the knife in my face again and said ‘can I take the sheep now that belong to my mother!’ We went back to the farm, and I got him one sheep that he slaughtered and had it barbecued to eat,” he testified.
A police lieutenant said the Emirati defendant remained on the run in the desert for few days before he was arrested.
Sunday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
