Brazilian tourist allegedly attacked in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

Hürriyet photo

A Brazilian woman was allegedly was taken to a deserted area and attacked by a cab driver, escaping only with the help of nearby construction workers, daily Akşam reported.

Rosangela boarded a cab and asked the driver to take her somewhere to eat, but the cab driver allegedly took her to an empty area in Istanbul’s Merkezefendi neighborhood and attacked her.

Their voices were heard by construction workers near the site, who intervened, saving Rosangela from the driver. The police arrived soon after and took Rosangela to the station for her testimony.

The driver, who was detained at the scene, denied all accusations and claimed the tourist had refused to pay the cab fare, over 150 Turkish Liras, and tried to strangle him when they began to argue.

Police forces are now searching for Rosangela for the official identification of the driver.

The incident resembled the case of Sarai Sierra, an American citizen who went missing in the city on Jan. 21, around 10 days before officials found her dead body on Feb. 2. The suspected murderer of Sierra, known as Ziya T., was arrested after confessing to the brutal killing.