SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — A member of a Saudi Arabia prince’s entourage has been sentenced to 10 years in jail in the United States for raping a 26-year-old woman in New York City’s Plaza Hotel two years ago.
The man charged, Mustapha Ouanes, an Algerian construction executive, claimed the sex was consensual when he invited the woman and a friend to his hotel room in January 2010 after a night of bar hopping, promising them a lavish breakfast.
“In his bowler hat and scarf, he appeared to be relatively harmless,” a prosecutor said of the 61-year-old during the two-week trial in February, according to a report in the New York Times.
The night in question saw the two women invited back to the hotel drink, smoke hashish and eat before they passed out, with one of them on the Algerian’s bed.
When she woke up, he was raping her they said.
“She woke up to this defendant on top of her kissing her mouth. She was unable to get him off, instead she passed back out again,” Assistant District Attorney Samuel David said in his opening arguments, according to the Times.
The lavish traveling of the Saudi royalty has in recent times sparked international criticism. Earlier this month, a Saudi princess attempted to run out on a Paris hotel bill in the millions.
With diplomatic immunity, charging Saudi royalty with any crimes is near impossible. — www.shafaqna.com
