Woman acquitted in Dubai massage center assault, stealing case

Mohammed Yaseen, Staff Reporter

Dubai Criminal Court acquitted an African woman of the charge of conniving with fugitives and detaining an Asian national inside a fake massage centre, assaulting him, and stealing Dhs1,000 from his wallet and Dhs100,000 from his credit card.

According to the case file, which took place in Al Muraqqabat area in Dubai, an Asian national filed a report stating that he was assaulted and robbed at a fake massage centre.

He added that he received an ad with a picture of a blonde girl offering massage sessions for Dhs200 via WhatsApp, so he contacted the advertiser and agreed to have a massage session at a centre in Al Muraqqabat area.

The complainant said in the interrogations that upon his arrival at the specified location, he was received by an African woman, which aroused his suspicions, and he tried to leave, but three men and a woman suddenly appeared, locked the centre's door, and assaulted him, stripping him of his clothes and detaining him in a room for ten hours.

They also stole his wallet and phone and threatened to publish compromising photos of him if he reported to the police, he added.

The complainant allegedly discovered after being left by the kidnappers that Dhs1,000 in cash was stolen from his wallet and Dhs100,000 was withdrawn from his credit card.

The police arrested the suspects and during interrogations, the woman denied participating in the crime, and although the complainant identified her picture, the court doubted the identification process and the complainant's statements, which did not conclusively prove her involvement.