Abstract
An Italian man, Achraf Arjaouy, 32, was sentenced in Singapore on Oct 7 to eight years’ jail, six strokes of the cane, and a S$9,000 high quality.
The person deceived a Singaporean girl with guarantees of marriage earlier than forcing her into prostitution in Dubai, the place she mentioned she served as much as 10 purchasers every day.
After returning to Singapore, the girl stayed involved with him earlier than reducing ties in March 2023 and submitting a police report in October 2024.
SINGAPORE: An Italian man who lured a Singaporean girl to Dubai with guarantees of marriage has been jailed for eight years. Achraf Arjaouy, 32, was additionally ordered to obtain six strokes of the cane and pay a S$9,000 high quality.
The sentence was handed down on the State Courts on Wednesday, Oct 7, after he was convicted of human trafficking. Prosecutors sought 10 years’ jail, six strokes of the cane and a high quality of at the very least S$9,000. The girl’s identification is protected by a courtroom order.
Prosecutors described the case as probably the most critical human trafficking case dealt with by Singapore’s courts thus far, Lianhe Zaobao reported (Oct 7).
He lured her to Dubai with guarantees of marriage
The girl met Arjaouy by means of a courting app in April 2021, when she was 30. He claimed to be an airline pilot from one in every of Qatar’s wealthiest households and mentioned he wished to marry her there.
The person persuaded her to fly with him to Dubai, promising to cowl the prices. Regardless of her employer’s warnings, she resigned from her job and left Singapore with him on Apr 21, 2021.
As soon as in Dubai, Arjaouy instructed her she wanted US$10,000 (S$12,800) to enter Qatar. Understanding she couldn’t afford the sum, he used the demand to strain and management her, prosecutors mentioned.
By late Might, Arjaouy was pushing the girl into prostitution to boost the cash. He allegedly created an account on an escort web site, organized clients and resorts, and later made her discover purchasers herself. The cash went to him.
The girl testified that she served between one and 10 purchasers a day, together with throughout her interval. She estimated she noticed greater than 50 purchasers in complete and earned about 1,000 dirhams (S$350) per day. She stopped in September 2021 after contracting a sexually transmitted an infection.
Returning house didn’t finish the exploitation
The girl returned to Singapore alone on Nov 27, 2021, after a buddy urged her to depart. Nonetheless, she stayed involved with Arjaouy.
When Arjaouy visited Singapore in October 2022, he claimed he had a mind tumour and promised to make amends. She accepted his apology, however he later used her checking account to obtain massive transfers, turning her right into a cash mule.
She lastly lower ties with him in March 2023 and made a police report in October 2024.
Extra expenses are nonetheless pending
Arjaouy additionally faces 16 different expenses, together with dishonest, possessing cast paperwork, and voluntarily inflicting damage. These have been stood down throughout the trial, with a pre-trial convention scheduled for Nov 5.
The case exhibits how guarantees of affection can be utilized to realize belief earlier than that belief is was a method of management. So anybody planning to journey abroad for a brand new relationship ought to keep unbiased entry to cash, journey paperwork, and a method house, simply in case one thing related happens or an emergency arises.
