Brit Marcus Fakana, 18, is awaiting trial and faces a possible 20-year jail sentence after he had a fling with a 17-year-old girl while celebrating his dad’s birthday in Dubai
A British teen facing a lengthy prison sentence for a fling with a 17-year-old girl was recorded as a different nationality so it would “appear much worse” to the court.
Marcus Fakana, 18, was detained by UAE authorities and is awaiting trial for having underage sex with another London teen who was on holiday with her parents. The encounter – which would have been legal in the UK but could land Marcus a heft 20-year sentence in the UAE – has been blown out of proportion by local authorities, a campaigning group assisting his family has claimed.
Detained in Dubai, an organisation that represents foreigners awaiting trial in the Emirates, first revealed the Tottenham-born teen’s arrest last week. The group has alleged that police have fiddled with his details in a racist bid to ensure he faces a more severe sentence.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, campaigners said they discovered two errors in prosecution case notes they believe were deliberately made. The first is that Marcus is listed as being 19 years old instead of 18, a seemingly minor alteration that could see him referred to a higher court in Dubai, where officials could hand down a heavier sentence.
Instead of British, his nationality is listed as Pakistani, a change that the campaigners believe might persuade prosecutors to come down heavier on the teen. Marcus, whose case will go to trial on December 9, believes the – now rectified – mistakes were made deliberately.
Radha Stirling, the founder and CEO of Detained in Dubai said the altered details make the case look “far worse”, and alleged that the “racist” UAE had wanted to set proceedings against him. She said: “Marcus told them his age, yet they noted it as 19 years of age. Rather than a small gap between the two, it looks far worse being a two year gap.
“That has now been corrected and the court will see that.” The CEO added: “The UAE is racist and it was deliberate that his nationality was put down as Pakistani as to the court this would appear to be much worse than British.” While initially detained in the infamous Al Barsha Police Station for several days, Marcus’ family has paid a £2,600 bail allowing him to stay in a rented Dubai flat.
The family has also raised more than £30,000 on a GoFundMe page to pay for his housing and legal fees. Marcus’ family said in a statement posted on the fundraising page that someone was “trying to misuse UAE law against him”, and have him charged with a crime that could land him a two-decade sentence.