Dubai: A waiter has been jailed for three months for molesting a female aviation manager while she was in a queue waiting to pay for her goods at a supermarket in June.
The 27-year-old Egyptian waiter came from behind, drew his body close to that of the 44-year-old Indian manager and molested her.
On Sunday, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the defendant of molesting the victim.
The accused had pleaded not guilty and contended in court: “I did not do anything to her. I was waiting in the queue like everybody else … she is the one who suddenly moved back towards me and our bodies bumped into each other. I did not molest her … I even apologised to her although it was her mistake.”
Presiding judge Mohammad Jamal said the accused will be deported following the completion of his jail term.
The Indian woman testified that the incident happened shortly after she had finished shopping at the supermarket in Al Nahda.
“I was waiting for my turn to pay in the queue at 10.20pm. The accused was standing behind me in the queue. Suddenly I felt that he clutched his body close to mine and intentionally made an unacceptable move. I turned back quickly and shouted at him. Then I called the police and he was apprehended,” she said.
The defendant told prosecutors that he touched the woman’s body.
Sunday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
