Dubai: Prosecutors are seeking to overturn the acquittal of a driver, who was cleared of kidnapping a waitress and coercing her to have sex with him under threat, and have him imprisoned for life.
In September, the Dubai Court of First Instance acquitted the 34-year-old Pakistani taxi driver, S.N., of kidnapping the Filipina waitress and threatening to kill her if she didn’t have sex with him over uncorroborated evidence.
Meanwhile, prosecutors have appealed the primary ruling and are seeking to have the Dubai Appeal Court implement a life sentence against S.N. as per article 344 of the Penal Code.
According to the primary ruling, the driver was cleared of luring the waitress by offering to drive her home in April.
The acquitted suspect had firmly refuted the accusation of locking the doors and changing his route before stopping in a deserted area where the Filipina alleged that he threatened to kill her if she did not did not undress so he could have sex with her.
Prosecution sources told Gulf News that a hearing will be scheduled before the appellate court soon.
“Prosecutors will be seeking to overturn the acquittal and have a life sentence implemented against S.N.,” said the source.
The 24-year-old waitress alleged that she misled S.N. by claiming that she was thirsty and asked him for water before she opened the door and fled.
Prosecutors accused the driver of kidnapping the waitress after he deceived her and verbally threatened to kill her.
Records said the driver drove off after locking the central lock.
The woman claimed that the alleged incident happened shortly after she left work and was waiting for a taxi in Karama.
“His taxi stopped and he offered to drive me home. He changed his route suddenly… when I asked him why he didn’t start the meter, he asked me to stay silent. He shouted at me when I took out my mobile wanting to call. He grabbed a shaft and threatened to beat me. I was scared and cried. When I spotted a petrol station, I asked him to stop and buy me water because I was thirsty… but he refused. Ten minutes later, he stopped at the side of a road and asked me to take off my clothes. When I refused, he threatened to kill me if I did not surrender. I asked him for water one more time to mislead him and try to flee. As soon as he turned towards his door to get the bottle of water, I opened the door and ran away. He took off quickly,” alleged the waitress.
