Man in dock for molesting teen boy at Dubai clothing shop

Dubai - The defendant denied an attempted sodomy charge in the court.

A 29-year-old man was charged at a Dubai court after he allegedly sexually harassed a teenage boy at the shop where he worked.
The Court of First Instance heard how the Afghan man lured the 16-year-old Emirati student into the shop on the pretext that he would show him some Arabic attires.
However, the boy realised that it was a 'women's only' clothing shop. He said he left the shop in a state of panic and claimed that the worker molested him. The defendant denied an attempted sodomy charge in the court.
The incident allegedly took place on April 7 this year. It was reported at Naif police station. The defendant has been placed in detention following the complaint.
During the investigation, the teenager recounted that the defendant met him at Naif Souq and offered to show him traditional clothes at the shop where he worked. "When I got inside the shop, I realised it sells only women's clothes. As no one was around, the defendant seized the opportunity and touched me inappropriately. He was also asking very private and personal questions. He touched me again during the conversation," he said.
The accused fled the scene shortly after.
A policeman said he went to the shop after receiving the complaint. "When I confronted the worker about the kind of clothes they sell, he remained silent. We checked the surveillance cameras there and the victim was seen running out. He looked scared and embarrassed."
The footage was around four minutes long. It showed only the time the complainant spent inside the shop, but it did not include the incident itself, according to a report from the general directorate of criminal evidence and forensics. A ruling will be issued on June 27.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai