Dubai: A construction worker has been cleared of swimming behind a Filipina in the sea and groping her back.
The Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesdayacquitted the 27-year-old Egyptian for lack of strong evidence.
"That's absolutely baseless and untrue. I didn't swim behind her and I never touched her from the back. Her claims were unfounded. I am innocent your honour," the accused, I.A., said while defending himself before Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout.
The construction worker denied what he described as baseless accusations that he swam behind the Filipina and groped her at Umm Suqiem beach.
Prosecutors accused I.A. of swimming behind the 27-year-old Filipina, B.B., into the deep waters where he touched her posterior.
"I didn't do that… I have witnesses who can counter her claims," he said in court earlier.
The accused pointed out at two defence witnesses whom he had brought to court to testify his claim. The judge refused to hear them saying: "It is not needed."
"We went to spend some time at the beachside. When we saw a group of men, including the suspect, following us, we walked away. He hit the waters and swam behind me before he groped me hardly and then he went back to his friends. I called him but he turned a deaf ear and mingled with his friends in an attempt to avoid me… we instantly reported the police squad which was at the beachside," the woman claimed.
Her female friend testified that she heard her friend yelling when the incident happened.
Tuesday's verdict is subject to appeal within 15 days.
