Dubai: A driver has been jailed for three months for kissing, hugging and groping a saleswoman, who had rented a bed space at his flat in International City.
The Pakistani driver, S.H., leased a bed space to the Vietnamese saleswoman and he kissed and groped her when he went to collect the rent in August.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted S.H. of molesting the saleswoman despite having pleaded innocent.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the accused will be deported following the completion of his punishment.
“She lied and lodged her complaints out of malice. She had rented a bed space at my residence but when I asked her to leave, she was late in paying her rent. Then she complained out of spite,” S.H. told the court.
The 26-year-old Vietnamese said the incident happened at 10.30am when she was sleeping.
“I rented a bed space at SH.’s flat for Dh700 per month at International City’s England Cluster. He took me by surprise and kissed me when I was asleep. I woke up instantly and pushed him away, then asked him to stop. He said that he loved me and missed me and slept on my bed … I pushed him away again when he hugged me and molested me. I cried and asked him to leave me alone. Then I told him that I would leave his flat because I did not want him to trouble me … he said that I had to stay until the lease is over and that I cannot vacate before September ends. I contacted the defendant’s girlfriend via WhatsApp and informed her that I had decided to leave the flat … but she said that I had to wait until September. The accused sent me voice messages in which he cursed and threatened me,” she testified.
S.H. told prosecutors that he had tapped the woman’s shoulder repeatedly to wake her up.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
