Student claims cousin raped her

DUBAI // A man had sex with his cousin in a bid to force her family to approve their marriage, a Dubai court heard.

But AK, 21, an Emirati, denied she consensually slept with KS, 27, also an Emirati.

She said she had been threatened and forced into intercourse.

Prosecutors say the couple had sex several times between 2008 and 2009. They were referred to police after KS sent a threatening letter to AK's family.

AK told prosecutors her relationship with KS is normal, as he is her cousin.

She rejected his endeavours to get romantically closer to her.

"He told me over the phone that he loved me and wanted to marry me but I told him to talk to my family," AK testified, adding that he had sent her several love letters but she did not reply.

She said her family rejected his proposal because he had a bad reputation.

After that he started sending her accusatory letters and a picture of her from his sister's mobile.

"He threatened me with the picture," she said. AK added that in December 2009, he took her from her university's library to a hotel, locked the room and had sex with her - despite her resistance.

"He ripped my head cover and abaya and when I pushed him away he slapped me," she said.

KS denied her allegations and said he had been in a sexual relationship with her for almost three years.

Prosecutors said he sent a letter to AK's mother in which he told her he had slept with her daughter several times, so they should marry.

"You will be scandalised," he wrote.

The next hearing is due to be on September 20.

salamir@thenational.ae