EXCLUSIVE: US bodyguard working for Trey Songz is sentenced to a year in jail in Dubai after he stepped in to protect the R&B star from being attacked

• Trey Songz was confronted by a man as he left the FIVE Palm Jumeirah hotel 
• Cornell Whitfield was ‘doing his job’ when he put himself in front of the singer 

A celebrity bodyguard has been sentenced to a year in a Dubai jail after he stepped in to protect Grammy nominated R&B star TreySongz from being attacked.

Cornell Whitfield was ‘doing his job’ when he put himself in front of the singer who had been confronted by a man as they left the luxury FIVE Palm Jumeirah hotel.

To calm down the ‘aggressive’ hotel guest who was swearing and waving his arms he claims that he gently tapped the man’s face.

The 40-year-old, who is rap star Lil Kim’s personal bodyguard and has provided close protection for a host of other stars, thought nothing more of the confrontation and flew back to the US after the incident in March.

But when he returned to Dubai two months ago he was arrested on an assault charge after being told the man he had struck had filed a criminal complaint.

Cornell Whitfield, 40, is rap star Lil Kim’s personal bodyguard and has provided close protection for a host of other stars

Whitfield was accompanying Trey Songz as part of his security detail when they left the five-star hotel to go to a club (file image)

Whitfield was told he had to pay his ‘victim’ £49,000 ($60,000) to have the charges dropped.

When he was unable to raise the money, he was sentenced to a year in jail.

The father of two is currently on bail but has not been allowed to leave the United Arab Emirates with his family in Miami, Florida, desperate for him to return home.

The demand for money – or face jail – mirrors the recent nightmare suffered by America student Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos who was given a year long jail sentence for allegedly assaulting a security guard at the country’s international airport.

The 21-year-old had her sentence commuted after pressure from the Detained in Dubai group who are also representing Whitfield in his attempt to leave the country.

As well as Lil Kim, Whitfield has been the bodyguard for NFL sports stars Trevon Diggs and Deebo Samuels.

He has also acted as bodyguard for the Junior Combs, the actor son of Sean Combs, and the rap artist Quavo.

Whitfield was accompanying Trey Songz, who has also appeared in the film ‘Baggage Claim’ and has triple Grammy nominations, as part of his security detail when they left the five-star hotel to go to a club.

They were confronted by a Jordanian national who began acting aggressively shouting, swearing and waving his arms at the group.

Whitfield attempted to calm the man down and tapped his face he said in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

The incident was caught on hotel CCTV and Whitfield and the others in TreySongz group later flew back to the US.

It was only when the bodyguard returned to Dubai in August that he was arrested.

Trey Songz attends ‘The BET Honors’ 2015 at Warner Theatre on January 24, 2015

Despite saying the incident was caught on CCTV and he had witnesses, prosecutors allowed the ‘victim’ to pursue Whitfield and demand the cash payment to drop the assault allegation.

Unable to pay Whitfield was told he cannot leave the United Arab Emirates. His lawyer has lodged an appeal against the sentence.

Many of his former clients are now promising to help raise the money so he can fly home.

Whitfield said: ‘I was only doing my job. The man appeared very erratic as if he was drunk or on drugs.

‘I just tapped his face to jolt him out of what he was doing, and it had the right effect. He backed off, and that was the end of the matter.

‘I just want to go home to my family. The whole thing has been a nightmare. I know Lil Kim is very upset at the what has happened.’

Detained in Dubai founder Radha Striling said the arrest and demand for money is typical of the Dubai courts system.

She said: ‘It is ludicrous that the accuser has demanded $60,000 after [apparently] forcing Mr Whitfield to defend his client.

‘For many people struggling financially, provoking a slap that results in a £60k payout would be tempting.

The bodyguard put himself in front of the singer who had been confronted by a man as they left the luxury FIVE Palm Jumeirah hotel (pictured)

‘In Dubai, this kind of thing happens all the time. Whether it’s a rental car agency, a taxi driver, airport staff or a random accuser as in this case, the possibility of a payout is a strong incentive to open a criminal case.’

‘It’s a real problem because for many it has become a business to provoke victims or to fabricate accusations for the sole purpose of monetary compensation.’

Ms Stirling said the courts are biased against visitors and added that Mr Whitfield could have filed his own criminal complaint.

She has recently acted for student Elizabeth Polanco De Los Santos who faced a year in jail after being accused of assaulting an airport security guard. That was resolved when the 21 year old was allowed to fly home following weeks of uncertainty.

Social media influencer Tierra Allen was banned from leaving Dubai for three months after being accused of verbally abusing a car rental agency worker.

She was told to pay an undisclosed sum for the case to be dropped and only allowed to leave after her mother paid for her passport to be returned.

Ms Stirling said holidaymakers and celebrities should think twice before travelling to Dubai as many have fallen foul of the harsh laws in the desert paradise.

She said:’ Tourists are vulnerable to vindictive, false and unevidenced allegations that could leave them languishing in notorious jails.

‘For many a trip to Dubai can be a one-way ticket to jail. ‘

Source: Read Full Article