UAE | Crime

Visitor denies molesting woman in elevator

A visitor has denied molesting a woman whom he met in a hypermarket, claiming she lodged a malicious complaint hoping to make money out of him.

  • By Bassam Za'za', Senior Reporter
  • Published: 23:43 August 26, 2008
  • Gulf News

Dubai: A visitor has denied molesting a woman whom he met in a hypermarket, claiming she lodged a malicious complaint hoping to make money out of him.

"I didn't know the girl whom I met in a hypermarket... I thought at first she wanted to be my friend. When I was walking her home, I overheard her seeking advice over the phone as to how much money she could win if she accused me of harassing her," the 24-year-old Palestinian told the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.

The suspect, M.S., denied following the woman into an elevator and forcefully hugging her, as charged by the Public Prosecution.

"I am broke and don't understand why she has done this to me... I thought she wanted to befriend me. Her accusations are baseless and malicious and she's seeking to only make a profit," he told the judge.

Records cited the 24-year-old American as saying: "I met him in a supermarket at International City while shopping. He chased me to the building where I lived and took the elevator with me... he stopped it and sexually harassed me and tried to undress me. When the elevator door opened, he jumped out and escaped."

A policeman testified the woman gave the police M.S.'s contact number which she claimed she obtained from the hypermarket.

"Police summoned the suspect who confessed to what happened," said the policeman.

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