A 19-year-old teenager who served time in Dubai for engaging in a relationship with a girl has tragically passed away in a car accident three months after his release. Marcus Fakana, who was supported by UK-based legal aid group Detained in Dubai while in custody, lost his life in a collision in Tottenham, North London.
Last December, the teenager was sentenced to a year in prison in the UAE for being involved with a 17-year-old British girl when he was 18. Dubai does not have a specified age of consent, but all sexual activity outside marriage is prohibited.
Following his return home, the girl’s mother reported the relationship to Dubai authorities upon discovering photos and messages exchanged between the two, leading to Marcus’s arrest at his hotel.
Granted a royal pardon in July by Dubai officials, Marcus reunited with his family shortly after. CEO of Detained in Dubai, Radha Stirling, expressed, “He had displayed resilience and hope, looking forward to a promising future. It is truly heartbreaking that Marcus’s aspirations were abruptly cut short just as he was starting to rebuild his life.”
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