Email: gdnnews@gdn.com.bh Rapist masseur is jailed for life By NOOR ZAHRA A CHINESE masseur has been sentenced to life behind bars for raping an American servicewoman in Bahrain. Gulf Daily News Monday, 29th December 2014 Apartment assault suspect on trial A SAUDI man is in the dock for allegedly raping a Chinese woman in her own apartment. The 39-year-old is standing trial at the High Criminal Court for allegedly breaking into the 27-year-old’s apartment in the Seef District, beating her and raping her. He has been charged with rape, trespassing apart from being drunk and disorderly. However, the defendant claimed he was in a relationship with the victim and they had consensual sex. “I was visiting my girlfriend and her mother at their apartment in Seef in June,” the defendant told prosecutors. “She then told me that her mother was not home and we had sex. “I had business deals with the mother and was in a rela- Zooling Fung was convicted in absentia by the High Criminal Court yesterday for raping the 21-year-old woman, who works as a chef in the US Navy based in Juffair and has the rank of an officer. The courtroom was packed with US Navy and Embassy representatives, but the 44-year-old man did not show up for his sentencing as he was earlier released on bail. He earlier denied the charges and claimed he had consensual sex with the woman. However, his victim told prosecutors she and two colleagues visited a massage parlour in Juffair on March 31, where the 44-year-old man covered her mouth when she attempted to scream and sexually assaulted her. She added that she was too scared to resist the man, who then went on to give her a 45-minute massage. The High Criminal Court yesterday found the defendant guilty because traces of his DNA and semen were found on the victim’s body and clothes. “The victim went for a massage at the massage parlour the defendant worked for in Juffair,” read court verdict documents. tionship with her daughter.” His lawyer Huda Saad told judges yesterday that the victim’s parents were blackmailing her client by demanding BD30,000 to drop charges. “They filed the whole case against my client to get money,” she claimed in court. “My client was in a relationship with her (victim) and they both had consensual sex. “Now her parents are asking for BD30,000 to drop the charges because they know he did not rape her.” She also requested the acquittal of her client, arguing that the victim’s statements to police and the Public Prosecution were contradictory. The trial was adjourned to January 28 for the verdict. “He then sexually assaulted her and she attempted to scream but he covered her mouth. “We found him guilty of rape after the medical examiner’s report showed traces of his semen and DNA on the victim’s body and clothes. “The victim also had bruises which were proven to have occurred during the attack. “The court also believes the testi- mony of the victim which matches the evidence presented by prosecutors.” Judges also issued an arrest warrant for the defendant after handing out a 25-year prison sentence. Lawyer Fatima Al Hawaj, who represented the victim, earlier told the GDN that the man was believed to have fled the country. noorz@gdn.com.bh Ali Salman detained AN opposition leader has been detained over allegations of inciting hatred against the government. Al Wefaq National Islamic Society secretary general Shaikh Ali Salman denied the charges, which also included instigating violence against the regime, when he was questioned at the Criminal Investigation Directorate yesterday, according to his lawyers. He is expected to be taken to the Public Prosecution today in connection with speeches he made between 2012 and December 5 this year. An Interior Ministry statement issued yesterday said that legal procedures were taken to refer Shaikh Salman to prosecutors. However, several hours later the society said on Twitter that Shaikh Salman called his family to inform them of his “arrest”. Meanwhile, anti-government rioters last night blocked highways in A’ali, Ma’meer, Bilad Al Qadeem, Duraz and other villages in protest over Shaikh Sal- man’s detention. Some also clashed with police stationed in several areas. Reports also claimed that a child was caught in the crossfire and was injured. The GDN had reported that Al Wefaq held its general assembly on Friday in Estiraha Plaza in Karbabad, where members elected representatives for their consultative body and central committee. Authorities had prevented the society from holding its polls in Al Oruba Club in Juffair earlier in the month, saying a social and sporting club should not engage in events for political purposes of any form. In July, the Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Ministry filed a suit against the society, saying that it must rectify its “illegal status following the annulment of four general assemblies for lack of a quorum and the non-commitment to the public and transparency requirements for holding them”. n Hamad Town Community Centre hosted an event to mark the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Held in co-operation with Salwa Club for the Disabled as part of the Social Development Ministry’s “Come Closer to Our World, Understand Us” initiative, the event saw a group of people with Down Syndrome taking part in various activities. Above, a pottery-painting workshop was just one of the many activities on offer. ·· ·· ·· ·· Mattress Down Pillows Down Duvets Mattress Protector Mattress Topper Bed sheets Towels Music Pillows 3 Armed robber charged with new knife raid By NOOR ZAHRA A CONVICTED thief and former delivery driver has appeared in court again, accused of another theft from the restaurant where he used to work. The 25-year-old Pakistani was found guilty of mugging a Filipina colleague outside Dairy Queen’s Ghufool branch by the Lower Criminal Court in July. In that attack, carried out on February 12, he made off with BD467 of the restaurant’s money – and he is now accused of stealing a further BD3,200 from the same branch in an armed robbery he allegedly committed in March. According to court documents, the man and a fellow Pakistani co-defendant worked together to carry out the raid, which at one point allegedly saw them holding a Filipina cashier at knifepoint. Desperation “My financial situation was very bad and I came up with the idea to rob the restaurant I work for to get some cash,” the 25-year-old said in his statement to prosecutors. “I really needed the money and a friend agreed to help me. “I knew exactly when in the morning the cash would be counted at the counter.” The thief described in his statement how he had telephoned his former colleague – the Filipina cashier – and convinced her to come to the restaurant’s back door. “We called the woman at the branch and told her that we had to meet her to hand her something from the restaurant,” he said. “She opened the back door and we pushed her against a wall. “My friend tied her up using a rope and pointed a knife at her neck. “I then took the money, which we split between us, before we ran away.” The trial was adjourned until January 19 for review. 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