Three masked men attacked, raped Ethiopian women

Three masked men smashed their way into a Dubai villa and attacked a group of sleeping women with knives and swords, a court was told.

Two of the alleged attackers appeared in court on Sunday where they denied charges of rape, assault and robbery. The third suspect is still at large.

Dubai Court of First Instance was told that five Ethiopian women were sleeping in the villa in Bur Dubai when they heard a loud noise.

One of the women - a 34-year-old - stated in official records that she watched in horror as three men broke down the door and started raiding the property.

“They were masked and they stole money and jewellery and then assaulted us,” she stated.“One of them dragged me to the bathroom and ripped off my clothes. He threatened me with an iron bar then raped me.”

A 29-year-old Ethiopian woman said the same man attempted to assault her before grabbing her friend.

“He dragged me to the bathroom and tried to have sex with me but I resisted,” she said. “He allowed me to go outside then took my friend.”

The 29-year-old victim added: “He took her to the bathroom and raped her. She was yelling - we heard everything.”

Another victim said that one of the defendants threatened her with a sword.

“I tried to yell and resist him but he crashed my head into a wall and then knocked me to the ground and took off my clothes and raped me,” the 26-year-old victim stated in records.

Police said the two Emirati men confessed during initial questioning that they went to the house but claimed the girls agreed to have sex with them. One of the defendants also admitted during questioning to stealing three mobile phones. The case was adjourned.

Meanwhile, in Abu Dhabi, a man who posed as a policeman and attempted to rape a woman in her car has been jailed for five years. Abu Dhabi Criminal Court sentenced the Emirati man after hearing that he approached the woman in a car park late at night near the Corniche claiming he was a cop.

“He beat me up, molested me and tore my clothes,” the woman said. A passerby went to her rescue.