Dubai: A visitor has been accused of molesting a woman shopper inside a music store and groping her.
The 23-year-old Algerian visitor, M.I., was said to have come from behind the Saudi woman, who was standing in the aisle between two shelves, and molested her at the music store in March.
Prosecutors accused M.I. of molestation.
He pleaded not guilty before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Wednesday.
Prosecutors said the defendant touched the woman against her will.
The 26-year-old Saudi woman claimed to prosecutors that the incident happened while her husband was away on the other side of the store.
“I was checking out some items displayed on a shelf … when the suspect walked from behind. He touched my posterior. I was angered with his behaviour … I turned around immediately and stared at him while he laughed at me. I was angered more and then walked towards him and stared at his face and asked him his name. He came close towards me and I stepped back so that he did not touch me from the front. ‘Why do you want my name … I do not have a name’ he told me. He continued smiling. The aisle was narrow but had enough space for two people to pass at the same time … he could have easily walked through without touching me,” she testified to prosecutors.
A ruling will be heard on July 24.
