Police in the United Arab Emirates have started investigating the mysterious death of a Filipino maid nearly two months ago, after seeing possible signs of foul play. A report on UAE news site Khaleej Times said the police in the Ras Al–Khaimah area had noted that the victim suffered from trauma and sustained severe head injuries, as shown by the autopsy report. According to the report, the body of Rahima Jamal, 19, has been lying at the Saif Obaidullah Hospital in Ras Al-Khaimah since being taken there a month and a half back. On the other hand, it was not immediately clear why her employer, Mohammed Sala Sultan, failed to report the death to the Philippine Consulate in Dubai. Philippine Consul General Benito Valeriano said the employer has not reported the circumstances of Rahima's death. He said he sent a representative of the Consulate General to Ras Al-Khaimah last Monday after a distant relative sought their assistance. An initial police report said the autopsy showed no external wounds on her body such as cuts, stab wounds, strangling marks or traces of sexual assault. But a senior police officer who requested anonymity said the victim was reported to have rolled on the ground after jumping, or being pushed from a van. He noted that her head hit the ground that caused severe injuries. According to the officer, a Pakistani man approached Rahima and provided help as she was screaming in pain, but never uttering any word until she reached the hospital. The Filipino maid died of bleeding from her head wounds, according to the police, who are on the case to check if foul play was behind the incident. After losing contact with her, Rahima's parents in Mindanao contacted Noria Kamza, a distant relative in the UAE, to seek assistance in finding out what happened to their daughter. “.They told me that the last time they got a call from Rahima she told them about her problems with her employer. So they were anxious to know her whereabouts after she stopped calling them,” Noria said. Habiba, a Filipino maid in Rahima's neighborhood, said she called up Rahima's employer when Noria sought her help. “The one who answered the call refused to identify himself and told me that Rahima ran away, took a bus and disappeared. He could not even identify which bus. When I had a chance to speak to the lady employer, she said Rahima had heart attack and died,” Habiba said. She reported the matter to the Philippine Consulate after finding out that the body of Rahima was at the Saif Obaidullah Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah.
