Dubai: A clerk has been accused of kidnapping a saleswoman and molesting her inside his car after he stopped and asked her for directions to a Dubai Metro station.

The 32-year-old Sri Lankan clerk, L.W., was said to have pulled over in front of the 19-year-old Chinese saleswoman and asked her for directions to the Metro station at Discovery Gardens on August 13.

Prosecutors said the defendant convinced the woman to get into his car before he changed his route and molested and groped her.

According to the charge sheet, L.W. was charged with kidnapping and molesting the 19-year-old.

The defendant entered a not guilty plea and firmly refuted his accusations when he showed up at the Dubai Court of First Instance.

Meanwhile his lawyer asked presiding judge Wajdi Al Menyawi to hear prosecution witnesses when the court reconvenes on November 28.

The saleswoman testified that she was walking in the Discovery Gardens area when the suspect pulled over in front of her and asked her for directions to the Metro station.

“I stayed outside the car and pointed out the direction to the station. The suspect claimed that he did not understand and insisted I jump into his car and guide him to the location. He drove in the proper direction for a short while before he suddenly changed his route. Then he told me that I was beautiful and had a nice shape. I felt scared and asked him to drop me… he refused and continued driving. Then he groped my breast and arm. I pushed his arm away and asked him to keep his hands off me. He groped me a second time… he refused to pull over and allow me to go out of his vehicle. Then he groped my posterior and grabbed my hand… then he exposed himself and tried to coerce me to satisfy him. I cried and shouted at him and insisted he stop immediately,” the Chinese claimed to prosecutors.

Records said the woman ignored the defendant’s request to please him. She reported the matter to the police as soon as she got out of his car.

A Somali policeman testified that police arrested the defendant, who was identified from his car number plate.

“The defendant denied at first that he molested the saleswoman or that he saw her. Later he retracted his denial and confessed that he molested the Chinese woman and groped her,” claimed the policeman.