A British mum from Northumberland has described her ordeal of being stuck in Dubai after spending a month in prison alongside alleged murderers and drug dealers for failing to pay her rent. Kerry Nwachukwu, 44, a former marketing director, says she arrived in Dubai with the promise of business success but is now trapped under two travel bans and living in fear of re-imprisonment.
A nightmare in Dubai
Kerry, founder of a marketing agency, says she was caught in a crippling financial crisis, owing £19,000 in rent across two separate disputes. She spent a month in Al Awir Central Jail, where she shared a cell with inmates accused of serious crimes. “I was put inside with people who've murdered people. I was in one cell with people who were selling drugs,” she said.
She paid £3,000 to be released under a 15-month repayment plan, but a judge reversed the decision three weeks later, giving her 15 days to repay instead. Now that the 15-day period is up, she says the only thing stopping her from being arrested is “actively going outside”.
Fighting to return home
Kerry needs £19,000 to pay her debts to two landlords, avoid returning to prison, and eventually come home to the UK. She said: “If I had any means to literally pay the courts today, I'll be on a plane straight out of here. I would not even look back.” Her friends and family have set up a GoFundMe page, but Kerry notes that GoFundMe is not authorised in Dubai and using it could lead to legal consequences. “I may end up with another judgment against me, another prison sentence, just for my family helping me out with GoFundMe,” she said.
