Streetwalker, client jailed over payment brawl

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

A streetwalker and her client who exchanged blows inside a moving taxi after disagreeing on payment matters will spend six months behind bars. The Arab woman, 21, collected Dhs2, 000 from the Arab man, 25. On the way to his residence, she hesitated and asked him to pay Dhs500 more. He refused. She too refused to return the Dhs2, 000. He mugged her.

The incident happened on Jan.9, Bur Dubai Police Station records showed. In court, she denied the streetwalking accusation. The man was charged with beating her and decamping with her two mobiles and Dhs500.

The man skipped to show up during the court hearing on May 5. The Dubai Criminal Court has sentenced them to six months behind bars after which they will be deported.

A Yemeni corporal said he was dispatched to the scene in Al Jadaf after the woman contacted police claiming she was inside a taxi when a man she did not know entered and started directing the cabbie to his residence. She claimed the man held her arm as the taxi moved. When she resisted he beat her. The cabbie pulled over. The man snatched her valuables and fled. “CCTV footage showed they were together at the hotel’s night club.

“They hailed the taxi together,” said the corporal. “I confronted her with the footage. She revealed she agreed to be with him but did not initially set the amount she wanted. They disputed over the amount in the taxi. On being questioned, the man revealed she had agreed to take Dhs2, 000. While inside the taxi she demanded Dhs500 more and refused to return his Dhs2, 000. They had a heated argument and she slapped his face.

“He seized her, punched her back, snatched her mobiles and Dhs500 and fled. Both told me they were under the influence of alcohol.” The corporal said she told him she had been streetwalking in the country for long. The cabbie said both stopped him and told him to take them to another hotel. “On the way, they started arguing. I saw him slapping her in the face before punching her face, head and back. I stopped and called the police.”

Investigators landed on their Whatsapp discussions pertaining to a paid tryst. More footage showed them taking the taxi’s rear seat, discussing and then exchanging blows. The man appeared running away with her mobile.

During a medical examination, the woman complained of scratches on her right shoulder, a contusion on her forehead and pains in the chest and legs. Both later forgave each other and fixed signatures on waivers.