A Muslim rideshare driver has been refused bail after allegedly raping and sexually assaulting a female passenger in Melbourne.
Mohamed Abukar, 44, who lives in Thornbury, was arrested on Thursday and charged with one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault over the alleged attack at about 5am on January 25.
The father-of-three appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court supported by his wife on Friday where his application for bail was rejected, 7News reported.
Police allege Abukar’s DiDi service was not active when he picked up a woman at homosexual venue The Peel Hotel in Collingwood, and said when the woman mistakenly approached his white Nissan X-Trail and then realised he told her he would take her anyway, Newswire reported.
The intoxicated alleged victim then woke up to find him allegedly undressing and assaulting her before dropping her at her home in South Yarra, police told the court.
The court heard police have CCTV showing Abukar park his vehicle for 11 minutes and approaching the victim’s seat three times, and that the accused is linked to two prior separate attacks in the same area.
One was against a man in 2022, and one against a woman in 2023, both who were picked up from The Peel Hotel, but neither wanted to proceed with a criminal accusation, Detective Senior Constable Rachel Haugh told the court.
Police opposed bail, telling the court “the offending is brazen in nature and constitutes serious sexual offending against vulnerable victims, that matters collectively demonstrate a disturbing predatory pattern”.
The court also heard Abukar had his Uber account cancelled after a “serious incident”
Abukar will reappear in court in June.
Header image: The Peel Hotel in Collingwood (Facebook).
