Dubai: Prosecutors lost their appeal against a businessman, who was cleared of kissing and molesting a jobseeker when he invited her to his company for a job interview.
The Filipina woman was looking for a job when she got in touch with the 45-year-old Indian businessman, who invited her over for an interview at his company in January.
The woman went for the interview, during which the Indian businessman asked the woman to prepare coffee to test her skills.
The Filipina reported that as she was preparing coffee, the businessman came from behind and planted a kiss on her cheeks and molested her.
She alleged that her cries forced the man to refrain from going any further and when he let her go, she reported the matter to the police.
In May, the Dubai Court of First Instance acquitted the Indian businessman of molesting the Filipina.
Prosecutors appealed the primary ruling before the Appeals Court and sought to have the man punished.
The Indian businessman renewed his innocent plea before the Appeals Court and accused the Filipina of lying because she didn’t get the job. Citing lack of corroborated evidence, presiding judge Dr Ahmad Al Mutawa dismissed prosecutors’ appeal and upheld the man’s acquittal.
The Filipina alleged that the incident happened when she went for a job interview on the premises of the suspect’s company in Al Rafaa.
“He told me that I will be hired and then asked me to make him a coffee. As I was preparing the coffee, the suspect came from behind and kissed me suddenly. Then he put his hand on my shoulder and molested me … he did that after he had closed the office door. When he hugged me, I screamed and asked him to stay back. He only stopped from molesting me and stepped back once I shouted louder at him. I refused his offer to drop me home,” she alleged.
A policeman testified to prosecutors when the suspect was at the police station he offered the woman a job at his company against waiving her complaint.
Wednesday’s ruling remains subject to appeal before the Cassation Court within 30 days.
