Man denies molesting female acquaintance at Dubai accommodation

Dubai - A 28-year-old roommate said she heard the victim crying at 3am on the night of the incident.

A man, who allegedly sexually harassed a female acquaintance while she slept at night at their shared accommodation, stood trial at a Dubai court on Monday.
The Court of First Instance heard that the 35-year-old Filipino man, who is a salesman, slept near the victim and groped her.
He denied a molestation charge in court. He has been jailed following the complaint.
The victim, a 22-year-old on a visit visa, said that at 3am on March 8, she was sleeping at her shared accommodation. "I suddenly felt someone sleeping next to me. I saw it was the defendant. I moved away from him and kept sleeping. But he then groped and kissed me. I was so shocked that I cried. He stood up telling me to stop crying or the others would wake up. He then touched my thigh."
The complainant forcibly pushed him away. The morning of the next day, she informed her mother and told her she wanted to travel back home. Her mother became so shocked upon hearing what the accused did as she treated him as her son. They lodged a complaint against him at Al Rashidiya police station.
A 28-year-old Filipina roommate said she heard the victim crying at 3am on the night of the incident. "She told me the accused slept next to her. The morning the next day, her mother came and picked her up. At 1pm, I learnt the defendant was at the police detention centre because the victim complained against him."
The defendant admitted during the public prosecution investigation that he slept on the complainant's bed as she was sleeping and that his hand touched hers. He will be sentenced on April 29.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai