Plot twist: The Vietnamese woman at the center of a police probe into her claim that she was assaulted by an Uber driver, has now been taken into custody herself, where she will be held for four days. Keeping her company in remand are three men who participated in the subsequent vigilante beating of the driver. Police are deciding whether there is enough evidence to press charges for her role in ostensibly colluding with the men who injured the driver. The other three are all being investigated for “rioting with weapons”.
The story, which made headlines this week, is one of many recent instances of bad press for the e-hailing ride-share app. Reports alleged that the 43-year old woman accused her 29-year old Uber driver of exposing his private area to her, then making her hold his genitals, during a ride that took place on Tuesday.
The woman did not initially report the assault to her husband; however, when the Uber driver began messaging her, she told him what had happened. It was then that the husband, and a group of friends, took the law into their own hands, and beat the man with baseball bats.
The vigilantes are being investigated for offenses that are punishable with a jail term of up to five years, a fine, or if you’re lucky, both.
Meanwhile, the driver faces charges punishable with jail up to 10 years, a fine, or whipping — or any two combinations. Variety is the spice of life.
