A PROSTITUTION racket was busted after nude photos of two women on a beach went viral on social media, a court heard.
A 30-year-old Bahraini owner of a document clearing office was arrested along with two Russian women after one of the women, aged 25, posted nude photos of her and her female co-defendant on the photo and video-sharing social networking platform Instagram.
The women are accused of prostitution and debauchery and posting pornographic videos on social media.
All three appeared at the High Criminal Court yesterday where the businessman denied being part of a prostitution racket.
However, the Russian women confessed to working as prostitutes.
One of them, aged 23, described how her 25-year-old co-defendant set up an Instagram account where they posted nude pictures of them to advertise their illicit trade.
“What I am accused of is true,” the 23-year-old woman told a leading judge.
“I came to Bahrain three years ago along with my friend (the 25-year-old co-defendant) and we stayed in an apartment in Hoora.
“I had sex with many men for money.
“In Ramadan 2016, I travelled to Dubai to also work as a prostitute. I returned to Bahrain the following year and we (female defendants) went to clubs where we found men looking for sex.
“We then stayed in a hotel for two years; the men paid up to BD100 each time for sex.
“My friend then set up an Instagram page where we posted nude pictures of ourselves to attract more men seeking sex.
“We then took nude pictures near a beach in front of a car which I rented from a Bahraini man (the male defendant).
“We published the pictures on social media and we were later arrested.”
The businessman said he was arrested after the nude photos of the two women, standing near his vehicle, went viral.
“I am a businessman and one of the women (the 23-year-old defendant) contacted me and asked me to help her with her visa because I own a document clearing office,” the 30-year-old told prosecutors.
“She also asked me to rent my Toyota vehicle for BD180 per month and I agreed.
“However, she phoned me on November 27 and told me that she and her friend were in trouble because they posted nude pictures of themselves by a beach.
“They said that the pictures went viral on social media and my vehicle was in the picture.”
The trial has been adjourned until February 26 for review.
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