Man challenges 13-year jail for rape

abu dhabi — A man who was convicted of beating up a woman and raping her after consuming drugs is fighting his 13-year-jail sentence.

Official court documents stated that the Emirati man found the Asian woman walking on the street in Abu Dhabi when he lured her into his car claiming that he wanted to give her a lift to her home.

“The woman said that the man instead drove to a desert area, from where he beat her up and also raped her,” said a prosecutor.

“After raping the woman, the man dumped her on the street and sped away.”

The woman had complained to police after being attacked by the Emirati man. And when police went to arrest him after investigations suggested that he raped the woman, the man tried to resist the arrest by fighting a police officer. He also assaulted him. Prosecutors told court that the man admitted to raping the woman and using psychotropic drugs during his interrogation. Abu Dhabi criminal court of first instance had given the Emirati man 10 years in jail after he was found guilty of assaulting the Asian woman and raping her.

The man was also sentenced to 2 years in jail and fined Dh10,000 for consuming tramadol. The court also gave him another one year in jail and a fine of Dh10,000 for assaulting a police officer.

The man challenged the ruling to Abu Dhabi appeal court stressing that he was wrongly convicted.

He denied the charges of raping the woman and assaulting her stressing that his confession at the police was under duress.

The Emirati told court that he had consensual sex with the woman but he never raped her. He however admitted to using psychotropic drugs.

The trial was adjourned until February 26.