Dubai – An 18-year-old British tourist, Marcus Fakana, has voluntarily surrendered to authorities in Dubai, beginning a one-year prison sentence for engaging in a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl.
Marcus, from Tottenham, north London, had been in the United Arab Emirates with his family last September to celebrate his father’s birthday when the incident occurred.
After discovering messages and photographs on her daughter’s phone, the girl’s mother reported the relationship to Emirati police upon her return to the UK.
The case, which has drawn international attention, stems from UAE laws that criminalise sexual activity with individuals under the age of 18 unless married.
Despite the girl being one month shy of her 18th birthday at the time, Marcus faced severe charges, with potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison.
Earlier this month, he was sentenced to a year in Dubai’s Al Awir prison, which has been criticized for its harsh and reportedly appalling conditions.
Marcus had a short holiday romance with a girl only a few months younger than him (Picture: Detained In Dubai)
In a statement issued through the advocacy group Detained in Dubai, Marcus expressed gratitude for the support he has received.
“It’s been a long fight, but nothing is hard with my Lord and savior Jesus Christ guiding me,” he said. “I’m grateful for all the people who helped by donating to me and my family of faith for supporting me.”
Speaking to Detained in Dubai, Marcus reflected on his relationship with the girl, who is also from London.
He described their bond as genuine but said the girl had to hide the romance from her family due to their strict values.
“We really liked each other, but she was secretive with her family because they were strict,” he explained. “My parents knew about our relationship, but she couldn’t tell hers. She had to meet me without telling them it was to see a boy.”
The situation escalated after the girl’s mother discovered evidence of the relationship and contacted authorities in Dubai. Under UAE law, Marcus was charged with having sex with a minor, a serious felony typically reserved for far older offenders.
Radha Stirling, CEO of Detained in Dubai, criticized the severity of the charges, noting that police had discretion to classify the case as a misdemeanor but chose the harsher route.
“The police had the discretion to charge him with a misdemeanour like ‘offensive behaviour ur,’ but instead opted for the felony of sex with an underage girl, the same charge a 40-year-old engaging in sex with a 14-year-old would face,” she told the press.
Marcus’s family is now appealing for clemency from Dubai’s ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Detained in Dubai has also urged UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and the British Embassy in the UAE to intervene.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign has raised over £45,000 to assist with the family’s mounting legal costs. The funds aim to provide support as the family navigates the complexities of the UAE legal system while hoping for a swift resolution to the case.
Marcus’s incarceration underscores the challenges faced by foreign nationals unfamiliar with local laws and has reignited debates over the application of stringent morality laws in the UAE.
