Rape, trafficking, prostitution: Court rejects Asian’s appeal

Manama

An Asian labourer accused of raping three maids and forcing them into the flesh trade had his appeal rejected. He was earlier sentenced to 10 years behind bars by the High Criminal Court, which ordered for his deportation once he completes his prison time.

The victims include two Indonesian women, in their 20s, who were allegedly held captive for four months and forced to have sex with men for BD10 in various apartments in Gudaibiya and Hoora, according to court documents.

They were later rescued after one of them managed to alert the Indonesian Embassy, which then informed police in March last year.

One of the Indonesian victims, aged 23, said a friend lured her into leaving her employer's home promising her a better job. But then the friend sold her to the pimp.

"My monthly wage wasn't sufficient, and I was badly in need for my money although my sponsor was treating me well. One day I was discussing this issue with a friend on the phone and she could find me a better job," the 23-year-old said in her statement to prosecutors.

"I agreed and her boyfriend picked me up in his car. But later I was shocked to discover I was being pushed into prostitution," she added.

 "He took me to an apartment in Gudaibiya, where he had raped me and forced me to have sex with strangers, along with another woman (the second victim). He threatened me that he would cut off my legs if I don't listen to him. He also used to stub cigarettes on my thighs when I refused. I was often raped at knife-point," she added. 

 Court files indicated the accused took the first victim to another apartment in Hoora where again she had to go through the same ordeal. It finally came to an end after she managed contact the Indonesian Embassy.

 "I asked one of the customers to give me his mobile phone under the pretext that I had to call my family. But I called my embassy and soon police rescued us," she said.

 The third maid claimed she was sold to the accused after she run away from her sponsor. "He raped me and then forced me into prostitution. But when customers started rejecting me due to my old age, he (the accused) forced me to massage customers," the third victim told prosecutors.

 Only the Bangladeshi accused stood trial at the High Criminal Court in connection with this case. He earlier denied rape, human trafficking and holding the victims hostage.

 He was fined BD2000 for his crime, apart from the jail term.