An 18 year old London man could face jail time in the United Arab Emirates after having sex with a 17 year old female.
Tottenham native Marcus Fakanamet the British girl, who is also from London and has recently turned 18, while on a family vacation in Dubai.
“We really liked each other, but she was secretive with her family because they were strict,” he said to the detained in Dubai group. She was unable to disclose her relationship to her parents, but they were aware of ours. Without letting them know it was to see a boy, she had to meet me.
When the girl came home from her vacation, the two had anticipated to resume their relationship in London. However, Fakana claimed that after police arrived at his family’s hotel, he was arrested without being given a reason.
According to reports, he was held for three days and was not allowed to speak to his parents.
Fakana was accused when the girl’s mother discovered their conversations and photos back in the UK according to Detained in Dubai, a group that advocates for those who it claims have experience for those who iy claims havr experienced injustice in the United Arab Emirates.
It is said that after the woman called Dubai police, Fakana was taken into custody. The adolescent could spend up to 20 years behind bars, according to campaigners.
Dubai still has a strict Islamic legal system, even though it only recently legalized unwed sex for tourists, stated Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai.
Tourists are permitted to have extramarital sex as long as both partners are at least eighteen.
At the time, Marcus was unaware that the girl was only a few months younger than him, Stirling said. She became 18 since his arrest.
The prosecution of this is not appropriate for Dubai. Their connection wouldn’t be against the law in the UK.
David Lammy, their local MP and foreign secretary, has been urged to step in by Fakana’s family
Although Fakana is no longer detained in a police cell, he is still unable to travel abroad, and his family will have to pay £2,000 for Airb n b lodging until his case is settled.
“My family saved up for this one-time holiday and have now used all of their savings,” he said to Detained in Dubai.
