Dubai: A salesman has been jailed for six months for filming a female interior designer with his mobile phone while she was using the restroom at her workplace.
The 23-year-old Indian salesman, B.J., sneaked into the ladies’ room and secretly filmed the Filipina designer while she was undressed at a government building in August.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted B.J. of molesting the 32-year-old designer by filming her undressed against her will.
The accused pleaded guilty and asked for mercy when he showed up in court.
Prosecutors accused B.J. of molesting the Filipina and breaching her modesty and privacy when he filmed her naked. He was also charged with entering a women-only place.
According to Sunday’s ruling, Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal acquitted B.J. of entering the ladies restroom.
“The accused will be deported after serving his punishment,” said presiding judge Jamal in courtroom three.
The interior designer testified that the incident happened while using the restroom at her workplace.
“I went to the washroom, removed my clothes. I was on the toilet seat when I noticed a mobile phone camera from behind one of the cubicles. I stared at it and realised that the phone’s camera was on and someone was filming me. I shouted loudly… then I dressed quickly and rushed out. I waited outside the ladies room until that person came out. I called the security guards who stopped the defendant until the police came and arrested him,” claimed the Filipina.
The defendant was cited admitting to prosecutors that his stomach ached suddenly and he asked for directions to the nearest washroom.
“I went up to the sixth floor and entered the ladies room because it was empty. While I was using the toilet, the claimant came in and used the adjacent cubicle. I took out my mobile phone, started the camera and filmed her… she then realised what happened and left. I recorded for nearly 15 seconds. I waited for a while but when I walked out, the security stopped me,” the defendant was quoted admitting to prosecutors.
Sunday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
