Surveillance video shows Uber driver sexually assaulting passenger in Boston, prosecutors say
An Uber driver was in court Friday, where prosecutors said surveillance video captured him sexually assaulting a passenger right in front of her South Boston apartment.
Hermann Ngoufack Jiokeng, 39, of Brighton, stayed hidden during his dangerousness hearing.
Roommate saw man in backseat
Police said on Saturday night, Jiokeng picked up the woman outside a bar and drove her home. According to prosecutors, the passenger's roommate saw the car parked outside their apartment for a while and saw a man in the backseat and no one in the driver's seat, so she called 911. The woman's roommate also said when the woman came upstairs to their apartment, she noticed that her dress had been torn open.
The prosecutor said the woman was "highly intoxicated" and accused Jiokeng of preying on her at her most vulnerable.
Defense: Woman's statements changed
The prosecutor said Jiokeng told police he went into the backseat to tell the woman she needed to get out of the car. Jiokeng's defense attorney said the woman's statements to police changed several times and that her roommate never reported seeing a sexual assault happen when she looked in the car's window. He also said Jiokeng has no criminal record and strong ties to the community.
The judge ordered Jiokeng held for 30 days without bail.
"We are sickened by what has been reported. Sexual assault is a tragic crime, and we banned the driver from the Uber platform as soon as this was reported to us. We've been in touch with police and will continue to do whatever we can to support their investigation," Uber said in a statement released on Monday.
