A former court security guard who posed as a good Samaritan to help the woman stranded after a night out in Aberdeen has been jailed for her “horrific” rape.
Buruhana Jabang, 37, took the vulnerable young woman back to his flat in Mastrick on the pretense that she could charge her dead mobile phone, but instead “spotted an opportunity” to prey on her.
In an attack that the High Court in Aberdeen was told was “beyond her worst nightmare”, Jabang – along with an accomplice – raped the woman when they got back to the Mastrick property.
The Press and Journal understands the other man has since fled the country and has not been prosecuted for his crime.
Jabang, originally from Gambia, appeared in court today via video link and spoke only to confirm his name.
The court was told how the woman had become separated from friends late at night in Aberdeen city centre on August 22 2021, and had no charge on her phone.
She asked Jabang if she could use his phone to contact her parents, but instead he “spotted an opportunity”, the court was told.
Jabang’s defence counsel David Moggach KC said his client still maintains his innocence and added that he was “disappointed and saddened” by the jury’s verdict.
Horrific crime
During today’s sentencing Judge Graham Buchanan said it had been a “horrific” rape of a vulnerable young woman.
“She found herself in a desperate situation,” Judge Buchanan said.
“Abandoned by the friends whom she had planned to stay the night with, she asked to borrow your phone to phone her mother.
“Instead of allowing her to carry out this simple task you spotted an opportunity to have sexual relations with her – and told her she could go to your flat to charge her phone.”
The judge then went on to describe how Jabang arranged for a lift to his flat from “a male companion” and how the two men, once at the flat, spoke of raping the woman.
Judge Buchanan said: “When she went to the bedroom to check on her phone and if it was now charged, your companion came in, switched off the lights and raped her in a manner which left her shocked and in pain.
“Once he had left the room, you entered completely naked, and you attacked your already traumatised victim by violently raping her.”
The judge said the woman “begged” Jabang to stop but instead he raped her “in an ever-rougher manner”.
Highly traumatised
He described how the woman suffered “extreme pain” during the attack and called it a “highly traumatising” experience for her.
During the trial she bravely gave evidence and said her mental health was greatly affected now.
Judge Buchanan went on to say the crime required a “significant degree” of planning on Jabang’s part.
“With another man, you tricked your victim into coming to your flat, for what she believed to be an innocent purpose,” he said.
“All the while, you were planning to have sexual relations with her, with or without her consent.
“What took place – this very nasty rape – turned out to be something beyond her worst nightmare.
“The whole incident from start to finish was a sustained one, leaving the complainer seriously traumatised.
“There are few mitigating factors – a severe punishment is required.”
He jailed Jabang for nine years and made him subject to the Sex Offenders Register notification requirements indefinitely.
It was previously heard that Jabang had previous convictions for threatening and abusive behaviour from 2019 and resisting arrest charges from 2021 and will “almost certainly” be deported at the end of his sentence.