Gardener accused of peeping at woman in washroom

Dubai: A gardener has been accused of walking into a ladies washroom in a mosque where he peeped at a woman who was washing up.

The 26-year-old Indian gardener, R.M., was said to be watering the plants in the mosque’s garden when the Saudi woman passed by and entered the washroom in March 2015.

The defendant was believed to have followed the woman and hidden inside one of the cubicles and secretly watched her while she was undressed.

Prosecutors accused R.M. of breaching the woman’s privacy and modesty and molesting her by peeping at her in the washroom.

The suspect entered an innocent plea and firmly refuted his accusation when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday.

“I am not guilty. I didn’t peep at her,” the suspect told presiding judge Mohammad Jamal in court.

The Saudi woman claimed to prosecutors that the incident happened immediately after the gardener saw her entering the ladies room.

“On that day I had to rush to the washroom and clean myself because I had wet my clothes as I suffer from incontinence. I greeted the suspect, who was watering the plants, on my way to the washroom. I placed my handbag aside and removed all my clothes as I needed to clean up. While I was cleaning up I smelt sweat. The bad smell lasted nearly five minutes and when I looked up, I saw the defendant peeping at me. When I shouted, he ran away. I dressed up quickly and went out … the suspect was working and pretended as if nothing had happened. I entered the women’s prayer room and called the police,” claimed the Saudi.

Records said R.M. was detained once the police arrived.

The suspect was cited admitting to prosecutors that he entered the washroom and was cleaning some dust when he was taken aback to hear the woman shouting.

A ruling will be heard on June 16.