Life sentence for police officer who raped tourist

DUBAI // A Dubai police officer who raped a tourist was today sentenced to life in prison.

The officer SA, 25, had preyed upon a Japanese woman who had become lost in Hatta, tempting her into his 4x4 with the offer of a lift to the heritage village, but instead taking her to a remote area where he sexually assaulted her.

The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance convicted him of kidnap, sexual assault, rape and threatening to kill the woman.

On March 14, six days after the 24-year-old tourist arrived in Dubai, she took a bus to Hatta, the court heard. "I was trying to find the Hatta heritage village and was looking at the map trying to find instructions," she told prosecutors.

At about 1.25pm, a black 4x4 with tinted windows arrived and the driver SA asked whether she was lost. He then offered her a ride to the heritage village.

The woman said he drove her to a deserted area and threatened to kill her if she did not have sex with him. He then slapped, punched and raped her in the front seat.

He was arrested after five months of investigations.

"S A was arrested after we contacted him numerous times and he refused to appear for questioning," said Lt Col Ahmed Al Merri, the director of criminal investigations. "We then convinced him and collected a DNA sample, which matched three samples collected from the victim."

The chief prosecutor, Khalid Al Zarooni, said in a previous hearing that he would seek the death penalty if S A, who denied the charges, was convicted.

The sentence is subject to appeal within 15 days.

salamir@thenational.ae