Court renews detention of Bahraini man in rape case

Manama : The High Criminal Court has renewed the detention of a Bahraini man, who is accused of raping a Filipino woman, exploiting her need of a job. 

The defendant is said to have conned the woman, promising to find her a good job that pays well. He got acquainted with the victim after the latter received his number from her friend who advised her to contact him because he had ‘very good contacts.’

“I spent weeks searching for employment and my friend gave me his number, saying that he could help me to find a job as he has connections,” the victim told prosecutors. 

The man is said to have invited her to an apartment, alleging that it was an office before locking the door behind her and sexually assaulted her. However, she later managed to escape and filed a complaint at a nearby police station. The man has been kept in police custody, pending investigations. 

“I called him, and he immediately set up an appointment to meet the following day. He came to me and took me in his car. We had coffee at a restaurant in Riffa and then he toured the area, alleging that some of the shops belonged to him,” she added. 

“After the tour, he told me that he would take me to an office, where a job interview was awaiting me. But when we entered, I discovered that it was only a trap. After he assaulted me, he went to take a bath. When he was not present, I managed to send my location to my friend through WhatsApp.

“When he came back, he offered to have dinner with me. I reluctantly accepted. But as we were about to leave the building, my friend made a timely arrival. I ran to her car and we fled the spot,” she explained.