A 42-year-old Indian businessman, identified as Q.A., and a 26-year-old compatriot juice maker, identified as S.S., were sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for human trafficking and illegal confinement of a Filipina woman.

Q.A. was also given additional three years for raping the victim. The Court of First Instance ordered that both the defendants be deported after serving their prison terms. According to the prosecution records, the duo duped the woman to come to the UAE with the offer of a secretary’s job at Q.A.’s company. But they forced her to work in prostitution under coercion and intimidation.

The Filipina arrived at Dubai International Airport on a visit visa in August last year and was obliged to work for the duo until she could seek police help in September. Q.A. was arrested when he went to the Muraqqabat police station to report that the woman had stolen his belongings. He claimed that he brought the woman to work for him and claimed he had consensual sex with her. He led the police to his accomplice.

The Filipina told the prosecution that she came here through a woman she had met in her home country. The latter offered her a job at a monthly salary of Dh3,000. She was received at the airport by the duo who took her to an apartment at Al Rigga in Muraqqabat.

A few days later, Q.A. forced her into prostitution to pay him back her visa and travel expenses. S.S. dropped her at hotels where she met and had paid sex with pleasure-seekers and he would later collect the money from her.

She worked as a prostitute for 15 days during which Q.A. raped her twice. She could seek the police help after she sent an SMS to her friend’s husband, who came later to Q.A.’s flat with a police unit. However, the Filipina could not open the door for the police because it was locked.

However, the police arrested them later.

The verdict is subject to appeal within 15 days at the Court of Appeal.