Dubai: A policewoman has described her shock when she discovered her 12-year-old daughter was being molested by her teacher, who on Wednesday denied the charge in court.

Prosecutors accused the 45-year-old Egyptian of sexually molesting the Emirati schoolgirl in a tent in the garden of the family's house while he was teaching her and her brother.

"No! It absolutely did not happen…I am not guilty," argued 45-year-old A.E., before the Dubai Court of First Instance.

The 30-year-old Emirati mother testified that she saw the teacher put his hand inside her daughter's undergarment when she went to check on her children.

According to the chargesheet, prosecutors said A.E. put his hands inside the schoolgirl's undergarment and groped her.

"I returned from work and headed directly to the tent…I was surprised when I saw the suspect's left hand in my daughter's underwear," the mother said in her statement.

"My daughter was trying to pull down her dress while her brother was busy doing his homework at the other side of the tent."

The girl told prosecutors the suspect would give homework to her brother and ask him to sit far away.

"He used to sit beside me and place his hand under my clothes…He prevented me from pulling my dress down every time I tried to do so. I was afraid to inform my mother until the day she walked [in] and spotted him touching me," the schoolgirl alleged.

Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir adjourned the case to May 9 to hear the statements of prosecution witnesses.