Cross-dresser held over laser treatment

Dubai Two policemen were puzzled in a courtroom Wednesday not knowing whether to ask a suspect to stand in the dock or outside it because the suspect's gender was in question.

A policeman, who assumed the suspect to be a woman, made the suspect stand near the bench of judges in the Dubai Court of First Instance.

While another policeman, who thought the suspect to be a man, asked him to stand inside the dock of the courtroom.

'Suspect is a man'

"The suspect is a man, who is facing charges of cross-dressing and wearing women's clothes. Let him stand inside the dock," said Presiding Judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi, whose words came to end the confusion.

Prosecutors accused the suspect, a 42-year-old Filipino worker, of cross-dressing and posing as a female to lure women to a private clinic where he performed unlicensed laser cosmetic surgeries.

He was additionally accused of molesting a medical inspector and endangering her life while conducting a laser session.

The 42-year-old E.G. denied all accusations.

Suffered burns

"No sir I did not do that. No I am not guilty. No sir I did not perform a laser session or molest her … but I only showed her the laser," argued E.G. when he defended himself before Presiding Judge Al Mahdi.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Hassan Abdul Rahim accused E.G. of molesting the Sudanese medical inspector by looking at the upper part of her body and touching her arm.

Prosecutors said E.G. assaulted the medical inspector, I.F., by causing her skin burns when he performed a laser treatment to remove hair from the armpit area. He also endangered her life.