Dubai: A worker, who molested a pregnant woman twice in the building where she lives in January, has been jailed for three months.
The 23-year-old Afghan worker, M.K., groped the Singaporean woman in the lift and molested her again in the corridor.
The Dubai Court of First Instance convicted M.K. of molesting the woman despite his having pleaded not guilty.
“That did not happen … I did not molest her,” M.K. told presiding judge Urfan Omar.
The accused abused the fact that he was alone with the Singaporean woman, according to records, in the lift when he groped her.
When she walked out of the lift, he chased her and made physical advances again.
According to the primary ruling, the defendant will be deported after serving his jail term.
The woman said the incident took place while she was walking to her flat in a building in Dubai International City.
“The lift was going to the third floor … the defendant asked me if I was pregnant and I said yes. Then he stretched out his hand and touched my belly. Then he tried to lift my shirt, but I prevented him. I walked out of the lift and was moving down the corridor when he followed me and again tried to lift my shirt and again I prevented him. I shouted at him and rushed into my flat, called up my husband and told him what had happened. The building’s security guard identified the accused with the help of the surveillance cameras,” she testified.
The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within 13 days.
