Dubai: A technician has been sentenced to six months in jail for groping a woman he claimed to be in love with from first sight.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 28-year-old Indian technician, S.T, of sexually molesting the Filipina housemaid and groping her indecently after he admitted that he fell in love with her.
Presiding Judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi said the accused will be deported after serving his jail term.
When the defendant appeared in court, he pleaded not guilty and first claimed that he touched the woman coincidentally.
“It was the first time that he ever saw me, he said that he liked me and allowed himself to touch my private parts. He groped me when I was serving him a cup of water,” the 21-year-old Filipina housemaid claimed.
“What do you mean by coincidentally? How did that happen?” Presiding Judge Al Mahdi asked the defendant.
“I was with a team of technicians fixing the air-conditioning system at the villa. I asked her for water. Then I followed her into the kitchen. When she handed me the cup, I touched her breast. I did so intentionally. I am guilty. But she waived her complaint,” claimed the defendant upon producing the written waiver in court.
The Filipina testified that the incident happened while the technicians worked at the rooftop of her sponsor’s villa in Jebel Ali.
“The defendant and his co-worker arrived at 9.30am. The defendant asked me to serve him water. I was surprised when I spotted him climbing down from the rooftop and walking behind me into the kitchen when I went to get him water. To my surprise he said ‘I like you’ and suddenly he placed his hand on my top.
“I scolded him and got angry. Immediately he apologised. I was frightened so I ran away and hid in my bedroom. I told my sponsor what happened over the phone and he reported it to the police,” claimed the housemaid.
Wednesday’s judgment remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
