Dubai: A manager has been accused of hugging and groping a house cleaner whom he had hired on an hourly basis to tidy his flat, heard a court on Tuesday.
The Filipina house cleaner was said to have visited the flat of the 44-year-old Lebanese manager in February.
Once the woman started cleaning, the man entered the washroom to take a shower, according to records, and left the door open. As soon as he finished, the man came out of the washroom wearing a robe and called the house cleaner to follow him to his bedroom to give him a massage.
Initially, the Filipina refused and told the Lebanese that he had hired her services to clean his flat at International City, said records.
Then the man came from behind and hugged her, and groped her as he attempted to talk her into giving him a massage. The Filipina reported the matter to the police as soon as she left the man’s flat.
Police arrested the Lebanese manager afterwards.
Prosecutors charged the suspect with groping the woman, hugging and kissing her.
The suspect pleaded not guilty when he showed up before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.
The house cleaner told prosecutors that the incident happened inside the suspect’s flat.
“He tried to talk me into massaging him inside his bedroom once he finished his shower. He also offered to pay me Dh100 but I rejected his offer. He told me that he liked me and that he was in desperate need of a massage. I reminded him that he had hired me to tidy up his flat and that I am not a masseuse. Then I made him sign my time sheet and left the flat … I went to the police instantly and complained,” she testified to prosecutors.
Presiding judge Shaikha Hamad adjourned the case until the suspect’s lawyer presents his defence arguments on April 24.
