Rape Suspect Whose Victim ‘Wanted It’ Appears in Court

By LUIS GONZALEZ

A Brooklyn cabbie who allegedly raped a passenger in February 2015 was warned Thursday by a Brooklyn judge that he would be sentenced if he failed to appear in his next scheduled court date.

Esa Alusaimi, a Yemen native, stood alongside an interpreter in the Brooklyn Supreme Court while the judge handed down the warning.

“You will be convicted and sentenced in absence. Do you understand that?” said Judge Joseph Gubbay

“Yes, I understand that,” responded a meek Alusaimi.

The next court date was scheduled for March 29th. Alusaimi was freed after posting $100,000 bail in May 2015.

According to the indictment, after making lewd comments to the victim, Alusaimi locked the doors, pulled over and began the assault.

Following the assault Alusaimi gave the victim $10 and asked her to step into a nearby deli and buy him cigarettes. Once out the cabbie sped away. Realizing she still had her phone, the victim called 911. Alusaimi was pulled over soon after for running a red light in a nearby neighborhood.

When confronted with the accusations Alusaimi reportedly told police that the victim “wanted it” and began to detail the grisly details of the assault.

However, his lawyer, Yung-Mi Lee said in an earlier court appearance that there was a “question of consent” in the encounter.

Alusaimi was charged with first-degree rape and criminal sex act, sexual misconduct, unlawful imprisonment, petit larceny and sexual abuse.