Dubai: A tailor has been accused of molesting a woman, who is unable to speak, after abusing the fact that she couldn’t cry out for help.
Prosecutors accused the 24-year-old Bangladeshi defendant, T.M., of molesting the Yemeni woman when she walked into his workplace on July 2.
The tailor pleaded not guilty when he defended himself before the Dubai Court of First Instance.
He argued that he touched her by mistake.
According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said the suspect abused the fact that the woman was unable to speak and he groped her repeatedly.
Presiding judge Ali Attiyah Sa’ad will hand out a verdict on September 23.
The woman claimed during prosecution questioning that the incident happened when she, her mother and sister-in-law walked into the tailor’s shop in Naif Souq.
Prosecution records did not specify how the woman was questioned and whether a sign language expert interpreted her statement.
“We entered the shop around 10.30am. My mother and sister-in-law were busy checking some garments with another worker. The defendant walked behind me and touched my posterior. I thought it happened by mistake. Then it happened a second time and he groped my back and drew his legs very close to me. When I realised that he had groped me on purpose, I tried to catch the attention of my mother or sister-in-law. Then I explained to my mother what had happened. My mother stopped a policeman who was present outside the shop and explained to him what happened. The policeman immediately restrained the tailor and called for a police patrol,” the woman said
When police questioned the suspect he said that he touched the Yemeni by mistake.
