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Lankan expat gets five-year jail for ‘raping housemaid’ – news report
Jul 10, 201001:39 AM
A Sri Lankan expatriate was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for “raping a housemaid” in April 2009 at her sponsor’s house. The Doha court of first instance heard that the convict, a garment shopkeeper, and the victim were working under the same sponsor.
According to the court papers, the suspect (24) saw the victim in the hospital where the sponsor was treated. After a few days, the suspect “visited” the house holding a bag and pushed the door when the maid, 28, tried to prevent him from entering.
The plaintiff said that the Sri Lankan “took me by force to my room, undressed and raped me.”
The court heard that the rapist warned the victim against telling her host family about the matter. “I did not tell anyone about the matter as I was afraid that I would be sent home. I badly need the job,” she told the interrogators.
The matter was revealed in mid-June 2009 only when the Indonesian felt pains and a medical test proved that she was pregnant.
Explaining the conviction, the court said it was satisfied with the plaintiff’s version. Official documents showed that the suspect left the country for good in mid-May 2009, almost a month after he committed the crime. His trial was held in absentia and the court technically ordered his eventual deportation after serving the jail sentence. – (Gulf Times)
