Dubai: A manager has been cleared of molesting a 10-year-old girl at the swimming pool of a luxury hotel in Dubai.
Citing lack of corroborated evidence, the Dubai Court of First Instance acquitted the 33-year-old Lebanese manager of groping the Emirati schoolgirl. Prosecutors had charged the Lebanese with abusing the fact that the girl was away from her parents at the swimming pool when he touched her inappropriately in July.
“That is not true. I did not touch her at all,” argued the 33-year-old when he entered a not guilty plea before the court.
His lawyer argued in court that his client did not molest or even touch the girl.
“He is an upright person. He has a good job and has never been involved in any criminal behaviour. Besides, he is married and his wife has constantly supported him during the court proceedings… that by itself is a sign that his wife trusts him and believes that he did not molest the girl. Prosecutors’ evidence is unsubstantiated and insufficient to indict my client. He did not commit any wrongdoing,” defended the lawyer in court.
Prosecution records cited the girl’s father alleging that his maid contacted him and told him that his daughter had been allegedly molested.
The father claimed that when he went to the swimming pool he found his daughter scared and confused.
“The maid pointed towards the [acquitted] suspect and alleged that he groped my daughter. The hotel’s security restrained the man until the police came to investigate. Meanwhile my daughter claimed to me that the suspect came to her while she was in the pool and chatted with her… then he touched her. My girl claimed that she pushed him away and rushed towards the maid,” the father was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile the manager’s lawyer countered the prosecution witnesses’ statement by arguing: “It would have been impossible for my client to have molested the girl in front of his wife, who was present with him. Prosecution witnesses’ statements are inconsistent and unfounded.”
Wednesday ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
