Man seeking acquittal in lift molestation case

Dubai: A supervisor is seeking acquittal of a charge of molesting a woman inside an elevator.

The Dubai Court of First Instance jailed the 32-year-old Egyptian supervisor, M.A., for one year after he was found guilty of molesting the Syrian woman and breaching her modesty and privacy.

The defendant was said to have groped the 19-year-old woman inside the lift, and then breached her privacy and modesty when he exposed himself in the building where they lived at Dubai Silicon Oasis in April.

According to the primary ruling, the primary court said the defendant will be deported after serving his jail term.

M.A. entered an innocent plea and strongly dismissed his accusations in court.

The defendant has appealed the primary verdict and will be seeking to prove his innocence when he stands trial before the Appeal Court soon.

According to the primary ruling, the defendant did molest the Syrian woman and breached her privacy by exposing himself and behaving lewdly in front of her.

The Syrian woman testified that she left the grocery store under their building and walked into the lift at around 4.15pm.

“He walked in behind me and pushed the button for the third floor. He was watching porn on his mobile phone as I could see and hear the sounds. I told him that it was not his business when he asked me if I was married...When the door opened on the third floor, he stood at the door to prevent it from closing. Then he acted in an indecent way in front of me,” claimed the woman.

Meanwhile his lawyer countered the victim’s allegations contending in court that the Syrian woman failed to describe how exactly the defendant molested her.

“She failed to corroborate her claims that my client molested her. Surveillance cameras did not confirm that the defendant had been watching porn movies on his mobile phone. Besides, supposing her molestation claims were true, then why didn’t she cry for help or resist or shout… why didn’t she use the alarm bell available in the elevator? We ask the court to acquit him of hand him a lenient punishment because he is under constant medication as he suffers a disease in his brain arteries,” contended the lawyer.

Records said the woman informed her husband who reported the matter to the police.

A policeman testified that forensic experts found traces of semen on the third floor.

“Surveillance cameras revealed that the defendant had been chasing and watching the woman. Primary interrogations revealed that M.A. works in a local bank. The defendant was arrested and the woman identified him at the police line-up,” claimed the policeman.