Dubai: An elderly carpenter has been accused of hugging and kissing a female tourist against her will after he talked her into taking a selfie with him at Dubai Museum.
The 72-year-old Indian carpenter was said to have convinced the Chinese tourist, who was visiting the Dubai Museum, to take a photo with him when he put his arm around her shoulder then hugged and kissed her in February.
The tourist ran away from the carpenter told a security guard about the incident, who accompanied her to the museum’s management to report the incident to police.
The woman also emailed the details of the incident to the museum’s management.
Prosecutors accused the suspect of molesting the Chinese woman.
When he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday, the suspect pleaded guilty.
He contended before presiding judge Urfan Omar that he was not aware of what he had done and that he is a heart patient. He asked for leniency.
The Nigerian guard testified to prosecutors that when the tourist informed him about the incident, she was crying.
“She pointed towards the suspect and told me that he molested her. I took her to the museum’s management to lodge a complaint because she wanted to call the police,” the guard told prosecutors.
A museum official told prosecutors: “She said the suspect asked for her contact number. She also alleged that he hugged and kissed her against her will.”
A ruling in the case will be announced on February 13.
