09/26/2007
By Bassam Za'za', Staff Reporter
Dubai: Two Indians who sexually exploited a housemaid have had their prison terms cut from 15 years to seven. The two were jailed under the new federal law to combat human trafficking.
The Dubai Court of Appeal overturned the initial ruling after the Indian couple, a 29-year-old woman, T.S., and her 25-year-old male driver, M.K., sought leniency earlier this month.
Meanwhile, a Pakistani driver, Z.Q., will spend three years in jail for aiding and abetting the couple although he was earlier acquitted due to lack of evidence. The three will be deported after serving their jail terms.
The verdict, handed down by the Dubai Court of First Instance last July, was considered the first implementation of Federal Law No 51 on Human Trafficking 2006.
Physical abuse
The Indians were charged with trying to sell the Indonesian victim's services to a police officer who was posing as a client. T.S. was also charged with physically abusing the Indonesian.
The victim said in her statement that her compatriot encouraged her to abandon her sponsor. She stayed with her friend before being taken away by a Bangladeshi. She said she was then "sold" to some Indians in Al Ain, who in turn sold her to M.K. and T.S. for Dh4,300.
"The two pocketed the money from my customers. The woman used to beat and abuse me," she said.
In another human trafficking case a court cleared an Indian couple of trafficking two teenage boys.
The Dubai Court of Cassation confirmed the acquittal of 54-year-old businessman, A.K., and his 52-year-old wife, M.S., who had been accused of trafficking two Indian boys whom they were escorting to Paris.
They were cleared of charges of attempting to traffic J.J., 13, and J.Q., 12, after their lawyer submitted written consent from the boys' parents allowing them to escort the boys to France.
"The defendants were escorting the boys from India to Paris via Dubai to their uncle," said their lawyer Dr Riyadh Al Kabban of Al Kabban Advocates and Legal Consultants.
However, the court upheld a six-month prison term for the couple for using fake passports for the boys. They will be deported after serving their terms.
Dubai: Two Indians who sexually exploited a housemaid have had their prison terms cut from 15 years to seven. The two were jailed under the new federal law to combat human trafficking.
The Dubai Court of Appeal overturned the initial ruling after the Indian couple, a 29-year-old woman, T.S., and her 25-year-old male driver, M.K., sought leniency earlier this month.
Meanwhile, a Pakistani driver, Z.Q., will spend three years in jail for aiding and abetting the couple although he was earlier acquitted due to lack of evidence. The three will be deported after serving their jail terms.
The verdict, handed down by the Dubai Court of First Instance last July, was considered the first implementation of Federal Law No 51 on Human Trafficking 2006.
Physical abuse
The Indians were charged with trying to sell the Indonesian victim's services to a police officer who was posing as a client. T.S. was also charged with physically abusing the Indonesian.
The victim said in her statement that her compatriot encouraged her to abandon her sponsor. She stayed with her friend before being taken away by a Bangladeshi. She said she was then "sold" to some Indians in Al Ain, who in turn sold her to M.K. and T.S. for Dh4,300.
"The two pocketed the money from my customers. The woman used to beat and abuse me," she said.
In another human trafficking case a court cleared an Indian couple of trafficking two teenage boys.
The Dubai Court of Cassation confirmed the acquittal of 54-year-old businessman, A.K., and his 52-year-old wife, M.S., who had been accused of trafficking two Indian boys whom they were escorting to Paris.
They were cleared of charges of attempting to traffic J.J., 13, and J.Q., 12, after their lawyer submitted written consent from the boys' parents allowing them to escort the boys to France.
"The defendants were escorting the boys from India to Paris via Dubai to their uncle," said their lawyer Dr Riyadh Al Kabban of Al Kabban Advocates and Legal Consultants.
However, the court upheld a six-month prison term for the couple for using fake passports for the boys. They will be deported after serving their terms.
