Tourist in UAE sexually harasses 13-year-old boy in mall

A tourist, who allegedly sexually harassed a 13-year-old boy in a shopping centre, has gone on trial.

The Court of First Instance heard how the 45-year-old Omani tourist stood very close to the boy among a crowd of people watching an attraction at a mall on September 11. He touched him more than once in an inappropriate way.

He was luckily spotted by a security guard who alerted the boy's mother.

The tourist, who is facing a molestation charge, has been claiming "the devil" lured him.

A complaint about the incident was lodged at Bur Dubai police station.

The 34-year-old security guard, a Sudanese, said he was on duty at the mall at 6:30pm when he spotted the accused. "He raised my suspicion as I would very often see him hanging out there. I kept a close watch on him.

"Around 7:00pm as the show began, I saw the same man walking and getting very close to a boy, a Saudi, in a way to touch him. The boy then tried to tell his mother and brother while signaling to them to bring their attention to the man. But the music was loud and they did not notice him."

The witness added: "I went to the mother and told her that her son was trying to tell her something. The mother then yelled at the accused and I went with them to the police point. On the way, the man kept saying he was sorry and that the devil lured him," the guard told the prosecutor.

A policeman, who heard the boy's account of what the accused did, said: "It was clearly embarrassing for the boy as he told me how the stranger kept pressing his body against his. He got scared and instantly tried to tell his mother and brother about it."

The trial will resume on December 17.

mary@khaleejtimes.com