Saudi prince arrested on sex crime charge at Los Angeles mansion

Reuters Published September 25, 2015

LOS ANGELES: A Saudi prince has been arrested on charges of trying to force a worker at a Beverly Hills estate to perform oral sex, Los Angeles (LA) police said on Thursday.

Majed Abdulaziz Al-Saud, 28, was arrested on Wednesday and was released on $300,000 bond the next day, according to police and online jail records.

The LA Police Department's (LAPD) special consul division said the prince does not have diplomatic immunity, according to the LA Times and KCBS-TV.

The LA Times said police descended on the massive estate after a neighbour saw a bleeding woman screaming for help as she tried to scale the property's surrounding wall on Wednesday.

The $37 million home, in one of the most exclusive enclaves in the world, has been rented for weeks at a time by foreign nationals over the past year, the neighbour told the Times.

The prince is expected to be in court on October 19, court records show.

Attempts to reach him by telephone were unsuccessful and his attorney was not immediately known.

A call to the Saudi embassy was not immediately returned.

Also read: Saudi diplomat accused of rape withdrawn from India

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Ahmed

Sep 25, 2015 01:57pm

In a kingdom with the absence of democracy where state income is considered a royal treasury and not public money, which is shared among several royal family members will always bring such embarrassment.

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lala

Sep 25, 2015 02:05pm

If prove, should be made an example by America. Equal rights for every citizen.

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Dr.Arshad

Sep 25, 2015 02:15pm

They get away with these crimes in their personal fief called Saudi Arabia but they are exposed when they indulge in such immoral activities in developed countries. It's a happy augury that we are witnessing their true faces. The people of Pakistan and government must stop giving them special protocol and preferential treatment.Treat all Saudis like other foreigners.

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Random Indian

Sep 25, 2015 02:21pm

The consul in India who was doing the same to a couple of unfortunate Nepali women got away due to diplomatic impunity (not a typo), luckily for us US enforces its laws more strictly than other countries.

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Mr M.Tariq

Sep 25, 2015 02:22pm

if found guilty they should in prison

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Irfan

Sep 25, 2015 02:42pm

America and other western countries haven't damaged Muslim umma the way these Saudi sybarites are doing since years.

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Zia ur Rehman

Sep 25, 2015 02:58pm

What a shame. I will have to say that America is great. No Bhatta, no forced sex, efforts are made to protect minors, disabled and elderly. No body can make fun of you based on race, color, clothes, body shape, stature. You are known and paid on the basis of your hard work and expertise. You don't need guards at the door of the mosque. No body can snatch your children and land or plots/ houses. Every society has shortcomings. Who's closer to Islamic principles( excluding belief system)

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Riaz

Sep 25, 2015 03:02pm

@Dr.Arshad We owe billions and billions of money to them. How can we treat them equally like other foreigners? What if they ask us to return the money all of a sudden? We would be bankrupt then.

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Akram

Sep 25, 2015 03:12pm

these guys never do a days work, all they do is spend other peoples hard labour. I hope he gets what he deserves.

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IQBAL MALIK

Sep 25, 2015 03:19pm

These guys should be punished to the maximum under the law so nobody can come here with the intent to do these unlawful/immoral things in our country.

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Hasan

Sep 25, 2015 03:37pm

Next time you wonder where your money goes when you pay the extortionate Hajj visa fee, now you know. Hasan

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Vasan

Sep 25, 2015 03:39pm

@Random Indian We should admit our Indian fault as well to bring the Devayani Kobhargade from US after she abused her maid, and under paid. She abused the power by having diplomatic Indian passport for her children while having US citizenship for them. Then later our minister Sushma is defending the issuance of letter for Lalit modi to get out of country while he was still facing lot of criminal charges with Income tax and finance fraud. We have to clean up Indian foreign ministry first. If the Saudi Prince has a Diplomatic Visa on Paper for doing nothing by spending money in US, he will still be safely exited from US too without any charges.

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Yusuf

Sep 25, 2015 04:15pm

Not to condone the crime but the reason this is news is because he is a Saudi princess who got caught. Otherwise many around the world do the same but get away.

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ivehadit

Sep 25, 2015 04:30pm

So is he going to be held to the same standard as the Pakistani "drug smugglers" SA is so fond of killing without trial?

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Md Arif

Sep 25, 2015 04:36pm

Saudi diplomat in Delhi got away after rape allegations against two Nepali woman as he enjoyed immunity due to Vienna convention. Medical report clearly indicated rape of the hapless women. I hope such behaviour is punished in US as this one does not enjoy diplomatic status.

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Santosh

Sep 25, 2015 04:38pm

He should be punished under Islamic law in Saudi itself. If so, I can guess what's going to happen.

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Jawad

Sep 25, 2015 04:51pm

I went to school with Saudi guys who would eat pork, mess with white n Korean girls and drink alcohol. I was so ashamed that they were Muslims n belonged to most holy land n were doing these cheap things. one of them got suspended because he sexually harassed our English teacher.

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ukumar

Sep 25, 2015 04:57pm

@Riaz KSA has to worry about loans and not Pakistan. When debt is large the power shift to debtor.

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Karachitee

Sep 25, 2015 05:21pm

Lesson for our rulers, don't try to be like king or prince. Be a democratic leader who are accountable to public. Otherwise if wind starts flowing in different direction then no one can save you, even your friends.

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Mohammad Khan USA

Sep 25, 2015 05:38pm

It is not the first case if iam not wrong number of such cases happened I can assure this kind of sexual harassment with their workers is very common in Saudi consulates and Ambassador iam sure they cannot do this in America there is no discrimination in American Laws he will have to face consiquences

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Hosur

Sep 25, 2015 05:43pm

Recently a Saudi diplomat escaped arrest after sodomizing and humiliating the Nepalese girls working dor him.Would he behave in a similar fashion with Saudi women or if they do it is not reported.Seems normal for these guys and they think normal humane laws do not apply to them.

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truth

Sep 25, 2015 05:52pm

@lala Are you kidding ! One prince named Nasir murdered his gay partner in London few years ago & was sent to SA to serve the remaining prison sentence.

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ahmed

Sep 25, 2015 05:59pm

this woman will settle for money.Nothing will happen to this Prince

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Patriot

Sep 25, 2015 06:15pm

Don't jump to conclusions

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muzammil ullah khan

Sep 25, 2015 06:21pm

Saudi diplomat in India raped two maid servants and kept them locked up for weeks . He got away die to diplomatic immunity . This prince will also get away by paying the girl a couple of million dollars and the Saudi princes and diplomatic staff will go on doing the only thing they know and that is debauchery !

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dawn

Sep 25, 2015 06:21pm

A royal Saudi brothel in LA! I hope the LA police is equipped with whips. He ought to receive the punishment they mete out and then to prison.

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Sep 25, 2015 06:23pm

@ahmed No this ain't Pakistan. No blood money type arrangements here. You pay for your crime by time not money when proven guilty.

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Asit Ghosh, Mumbai

Sep 25, 2015 06:33pm

The two nepali ladies gang raped by the first secretary of Saudi mission in Delhi had been named by the Modi Govt. at the time of his being called back. This highly unusual practice of naming a diplomat covered under Viena convention was done to ensure that no other country accepts him as a diplomat in future. Wonder if the strategy will work or if Saudi petro dollars will triumph over decency in some countries in debt.

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ali

Sep 25, 2015 06:53pm

He will escape and bond money confiscated which is a pocket change for these creeps. End of story.

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Karachite

Sep 25, 2015 06:57pm

And this is why I love United States of America.

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Khan

Sep 25, 2015 07:04pm

People in pakistan like to criticize america, but do we not see the beauty of the American law? No one is above it. Not even a member of the Saudi sheikhdom.

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ali

Sep 25, 2015 07:12pm

This is the common Saudi characters. They have no respect for women. Wherever they go they would feel free to show their typical characters towards the women. On the other hand, they strive to shade their own women in veils. Why does it happen? Because there is no humanity and democracy in practice for building a noble, educated, and tolerant society.

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AHA

Sep 25, 2015 07:16pm

So one finally got caught !!!

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Imtiaz Faruqui

Sep 25, 2015 07:19pm

This is what they do with the HAJ money they get,instead muslims should help their poor relatives or poor folks in their country and give that money to built Hospitals and Schools.

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Imtiaz Faruqui

Sep 25, 2015 07:20pm

Mark my words ,nothing will happen to him, this news will soon diappear.

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weqjan

Sep 25, 2015 07:23pm

The shame is that such a rich man coild not attract a woman to do what he wanted, his money could not buy. On the other side, this is a legacy of US Presidents, Clinton was just reported.

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Waheed Khan

Sep 25, 2015 07:27pm

We Muslims are subsidizing the lavish life style of these Saudis by spending a lot--- by paying exorbitant money in Umra fee, Hajj fee, Mualam fee, etc and we are restricted to stay only in certain hotels in Mecca and Medina to pay approx $ 300 per night which are originally owned by the royal family. Whereas we have spirituality in mind for the Saudis it is just a business transaction and their whole focus is as to make as much money as possible from people's faith. This needs to change FYI--nobody pays anything to go to the Vatican.

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Salman

Sep 25, 2015 07:27pm

I wonder, how come a Royal Saudis are arrested or caught in USA while they're only a few in numbers while no Royal family is ever arrested in Saudi Arabia. We know what would have happened to a commoner in Saudi Arabia for this type of crime...

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sami

Sep 25, 2015 07:37pm

@ahmed I don't think you understand the US law. The case in the court would be the prince versus the state and not prince versus the victim. So unless the state drops charges (and you are not suggesting the state will take money for that) the prince is in deep trouble.

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chacha

Sep 25, 2015 07:39pm

So that is where oil money goes...

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msh

Sep 25, 2015 07:40pm

Look at the character of the so called royal family who are the custodians of the holy mosque. It is not the first time they are involved in illegal sex outside Saudia. I think this prince should be punished by Sharia law i.e. Stoned to death but as he is the prince and laws are not equal for rich and poor in KSA, this will not happen. Even in US he will pay a suitcase of money to finish the story.

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Taimur

Sep 25, 2015 07:43pm

@Zia ur Rehman "What a shame. I will have to say that America is great. No Bhatta, no forced sex, efforts are made to protect minors, disabled and elderly. No body can make fun of you based on race, color, clothes, body shape, stature. You are known and paid on the basis of your hard work and expertise. You don't need guards at the door of the mosque. No body can snatch your children and land or plots/ houses. Every society has shortcomings. Who's closer to Islamic principles( excluding belief system)". Sorry brother, these are called Judeo-Christian principles which are inherently immersed in the western thought process regardless of religious rituals which they don't strictly follow.

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sami

Sep 25, 2015 07:43pm

@Imtiaz Faruqui I am sorry, but you are wrong. The prince got caught in a country where the laws are held in respect and they are enforced equally, no matter who you are. In fact Mr. Faruqui, US is more in line with the values of Islam than any of the countries of the umma. I know you will pick on a few things and try to beat us on the head with a few morality related things, but maybe you should first look into lack of morality amongst us before passing judgement on others.

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sami

Sep 25, 2015 07:45pm

@Patriot I think he should be tried under the Saudi law in the US! What's the punishment under that? Stoning or beheading?

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JUSTICE

Sep 25, 2015 07:54pm

Don't worry, Saudi government will protect Saudi prince who committed crime. There are lot renegade Saudi princess out of control in USA and Europe have been doing drug, drinking and gambling , because they have lot of money to spend.

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khan

Sep 25, 2015 07:55pm

America need oil n saudi money, otherwise bail within 24-hours not logical.

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Issah

Sep 25, 2015 08:01pm

Yet they call themselves the custodians of the holy places!

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Dabangg

Sep 25, 2015 08:03pm

@ahmed The victim can not do that. Only the government has the power to drop the charges.

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Dabangg

Sep 25, 2015 08:07pm

@Jawad You will be surprised to know that the only devout Muslims are in the poorer countries. Go to any airport in the Gulf during Ramadan and you will find that many Arab are flying to Europe or US to avoid fasting. Money and power is what matters there.

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Zainullah Khan

Sep 25, 2015 08:33pm

@Riaz . Totally agree with you.

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IndoPakDosti

Sep 25, 2015 08:46pm

Guys 1 person don't dictate whole group. If they were so bad then why would have given govt of Makkah. It could also be a women falsely accusing him because I know its very common to accused someone rich in US to blackmail them for money. Innocent until guilty.

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Abdul Malik

Sep 25, 2015 08:53pm

This is what these so called prince are good at. They call themselves as Muslims coming from the holy land

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Shaam سے

Sep 25, 2015 08:54pm

Barbaric act if true, under the prevailing convention, if he is safeguarded by diplomatic immunity, the worst would be to send him back. Sadly US will not be able to do anything, its simple law. If not, as reported by LA Police. He will pay up and will be Scot free. He represents Al-saud (Arab Royalty) US can’t do anything; they will simply buy the victim up, if need be. US, is no Angel country, they do what suits them the world around you is a prime example of their hypocrisy. If you think there local police is any better than ours, then you are sadly mistaken…

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Pukar

Sep 25, 2015 09:01pm

This is how these Kings and princes of Saudia are. Sharia is only for commoners.

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rkhan

Sep 25, 2015 09:45pm

Give him the max. sentence per law, make him the example for the world that you are not immune just because you are prince or rich. Hang him same way they do it to others in there country.

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Zia ur Rehman

Sep 25, 2015 09:46pm

@Taimur I didn't mean to present comparison of religions. Rather I was addressing myself and other Muslims to ponder over the scenario. We always look and find the dark side of the things. We should learn from other nations, individuals even if we presume them enemies

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AKB

Sep 25, 2015 10:38pm

The possibility of being trapped may also be looked into during investigations.

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nasr

Sep 25, 2015 11:28pm

I have seen a lot of spoil Saudi kids both boys and girls here in LA as I live in near close proximity of Beverly Hill. In fact I can see Beverly Glenn right now from my 11th floor office just three miles from Beverly Glen. You can find a lot of Saudis Loitering in the Beverley Hills & Grove Mall in T's & shorts (which they wear when visiting the nearby King Fahd Mosque) the girls are in pure punk fashion, tight jeans and tops. These Saudis when in America just think they are free to do anything. Apart of this reported crime recently one Prince was caught drag racing in the same area. They when in America think as they are US Allies they can do anything they want and will enjoy the diplomatic immunity but in this case this prince doesn't because he is a lower cadre prince of the house of sauds

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Naeem Khan Kansas.US

Sep 26, 2015 06:45am

@sami , you are wrong too, State vs the prince only if the victim presses the charge. If the victim settles it out of court and she drops the charges, then he is free to go. It is all up to the victim

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From USA S.A. HYDER, Ph.D.

Sep 26, 2015 10:04am

@Khan No one is above the law here. Not even the President or the Vice President of US. Remember a guy named Nixon and another named Spiro Agnew?

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Hyder

Sep 26, 2015 11:16am

Sir There should never be diplomatic immunity to sex offenders, muderers, dangerous. driving offences and domestic abuse cases!!! It is high time to revisit the clauses of diplomatic immunity and update it to the 21st century. Thanks

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Amir Khan

Sep 26, 2015 11:27am

These arabs should be taught a lesson on how to behave with women. They think this is seventh century Arabia where they could do whatever they wanted to women.

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jugal kishore sharma

Sep 26, 2015 03:00pm

Recently Saudi diplomats trap for sexually harassed maids at home in Gurgaon India. But having the immunity later they were abandoned without proper investigation. Know they are free without charge and leave the India. where is rule of law, why we are more arrogant if special some one instead with us

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Abdulla Hussain

Sep 26, 2015 04:56pm

@Zia ur Rehman You may be a new comer in US. Like all other countries, this country also has its high & low. At regular interval we hear news about police excesses, shooting in schools etc, child sex abuse. However comparatively one can say that some rule of law do exist here.

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Kamal Pasha

Sep 27, 2015 12:16am

The latest is that he was supposed to be in the LA court on Oct 19, but has left the country by private jet.

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Rish

Sep 27, 2015 01:17am

@Naeem Khan Kansas.US , Actually, you are the one who is mistaken. At least in the US, victims don't press criminal charges. The state does. So there is nothing for a victim to withdraw. Civil cases -which are filed by the victims- do get settled out of court and those are where money changes hands. Here, if the initial reports are to be believed, we're probably going to see both criminal and civil cases against the Saudi prince.

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Arun

Sep 27, 2015 02:22am

There should be no diplomatic immunity for such crimes. The nepali maids in Gurgaon, India, when told their ordeal to the NGO, the ladies noting down it wept. Such gruesome was the sexual exploitation. And the diplomat allowed his friends too to rape the maids. Ladies in Diplomats' family knew all that was happening in the home but they never intervened instead they manhandled the lady police officers. So.... there should be no diplomatic immunity for such crimes.

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SKZ

Sep 27, 2015 06:20am

@AD ..you are right ..Thats the case if the girl doesnt want to take back her case. If she gets good money, most probably she will take her case back and will be closed..

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illawarrior

Sep 27, 2015 07:53am

@sami They could, however, illegally bribe the victim not to testify, so he gets off due to lack of evidence.

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illawarrior

Sep 27, 2015 07:54am

I looked at Arab News today - no surprise that they haven't reported this story.

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From USA S.A. HYDER, Ph.D.

Sep 27, 2015 08:24am

@ Shaam سے You are sadly mistaken, Sir. And I do not think that, it is a fact !!

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M Saleem Chaudhry

Sep 27, 2015 10:26am

No surprise with the kind of social orientation, availability of heaps of of easy money, no work to do and authority of an autocrat passed down the ladder to all the offspring of the Royal family. They are geared to indulge in any kind of wild fantasy.

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Imran Soomro

Sep 27, 2015 11:45am

@Zia ur Rehman Not completely but partly agreed with you and that is only because America has justice to an acknowledgable level. But even in America, justice is not meted out to everybody. If you say, there is no racism in America then your claim is contrary to what international reports suggest. And above all, if one is to ask a question about who is culpable for creating obscenity and promoting it on the televisions and different programmes? You'll get the answer.

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gerry dcunha

Sep 27, 2015 04:46pm

there are bad characters in all society,country,race,religion and even families - we need to show our love and bring them back to their respectful position - criticising them will not do any good

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