ABU DHABI // Four men convicted of selling three prostitutes to undercover policemen for Dh135,000 could not have done so because the women "are not that attractive", a defence lawyer claimed today.
The men were arrested in a sting operation shortly after one of them met the undercover officers in a hotel room and received the payment, heard the Appeals Court. Prosecutors say the men sold each woman for Dh45,000 each and intended to give each of the prostitutes Dh5,000 from the proceeds.
But yesterday the lawyer for EF, the man accused of meeting the officers, said that he appeared to have been framed.
"Seems like CID tricked the men into the deal by tempting them with a lot of cash," said Fayza Moussa, adding: "Why would anyone pay Dh45,000 for each of these women, they are not even that attractive?"
Ms Moussa said her client had been duped into collected the money from the officers. She said he had met another man, SS, in the hotel lobby on the day of the incident and agreed to go to a room to collect some money for him in exchange for a commission. He was not told what the money was for.
He arrived at the room at the same time as three women and they all entered the room together, but he "had nothing to do with them" and didn't know what was going on, insisted the lawyer.
Previously the Criminal Court found four men - the Egyptians EF, MA, SS and Syrian BM - guilty of enhancing prostitution and three Moroccan women - LR, NS and KL - guilty of prostitution.
However, in front of the Appeals Court, all seven denied the charges and claimed they did not even know one another.
Ms Moussa demanded access to her client's mobile phone records in the week leading to the arrests, saying these would prove his innocence. "If he knew the other three men or made any deals with them this must show in the phone records," she said.
The judge dismissed her request, but she insisted: "For him to have a hand in the crime he should have communicated with them, he either lived with them and therefore did not require to call them, or there must be a link by phone."
At this point the three women became vocal and demanded records for their phones too, insisting they did not know any of the other defendants either.
EF's wife requested for bail.
"We do not accept bail for such crimes," said the judge.
He adjourned the case until September 22.
hdajani@thenational.ae
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
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Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Community Shield info
Where, when and at what time Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday at 5pm (UAE time)
Arsenal line up (3-4-2-1) Petr Cech; Rob Holding, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal; Hector Bellerin, Mohamed Elneny, Granit Xhaka, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain; Alex Iwobi, Danny Welbeck; Alexandre Lacazette
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
Chelsea line up (3-4-2-1) Thibaut Courtois; Cesar Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Gary Cahill; Victor Moses, Cesc Fabregas, N'Golo Kante, Marcos Alonso; Willian, Pedro; Michy Batshuayi
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte
Referee Bobby Madley
