Dubai: A company owner has denied groping three of his former female employees after forcing them to wear skimpy outfits that he allegedly said would help lure customers.
Prosecutors said the Syrian suspect, M.F., molested the three women, an Algerian secretary, an Ethiopian saleswoman and a Filipina maid.
"No sir I did not molest any of them; I am innocent," argued M.F., 62, when he faced the Dubai Court of First Instance.
According to the charges sheet, prosecutors said the suspect sexually harassed the three women by chasing them into washrooms and groping their bottoms.
Waivers
M.F.'s lawyer handed over to Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout what he claimed were waivers from the three plaintiffs. The lawyer also asked the court to adjourn the case to hear prosecution witnesses. The court reconvenes on January 31.
The Algerian woman testified that she had worked for M.F. for four years. "He constantly ordered me to wear miniskirts and skimpy outfits ostensibly to draw more customers. He threatened to fire me if I refused to wear miniskirts; I was obliged to agree and wear such outfits because I needed my salary. He also threatened to cancel my visa and have me deported. The defendant molested me and groped my private parts a number of times; he also ordered me to wash his private bathroom and molested me while I was cleaning it," she claimed.
The two other plaintiffs upheld the statement.
A security guard working at the company also backed the women's claims.
