Dubai: An employee has been jailed for three months for molesting a female tourist while she was enjoying the UAE National Day celebrations at the Dubai Fountain in November.
The 35-year-old Pakistani employee, S.A., pressed himself against the 19-year-old Malaysian tourist and molested her while she was watching the water show.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted S.A. of molesting the tourist despite his having entered an innocent plea.
Records said S.A. abused the fact that the tourist was busy enjoying the show when he molested her.
“I did not do that …” S.A. argued in court.
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the accused will be deported after serving his imprisonment.
The woman testified that the incident happened while she was watching the Dubai Fountain display from the bridge between Dubai Mall and Souq Al Bahr.
“I was enjoying the festivities and National Day celebrations. When the defendant came from behind … I said sorry when I turned around and mistakenly hit him with my hand. Shortly after that I felt the defendant pressing his body firmly against mine. He behaved indecently. The defendant molested me while he pretended to be watching the show. I felt scared. When I tried to move away from the crowd, he prevented me by moving his body closer. I moved towards my friend, and when he noticed that we had realised what he was doing, he walked away,” the Malaysian claimed.
A British woman said she saw the defendant when he squeezed himself behind the tourist.
“The woman was crying and when I asked her what happened, she said the accused had molested her. Thereafter we informed the police,” she testified.
Tuesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.