Dubai: A taxi driver claimed that he tapped the shoulder of a schoolgirl to wake her up and did not molest her while dropping her off to school.
Prosecutors said the 35-year-old Indian driver, A.S., molested the 12-year-old Iranian schoolgirl and groped her private parts.
A Sudanese police corporal testified that when he questioned A.S., the latter claimed that the girl falsely accused him of molesting her because he lowered the volume of the music while driving her to school.
Lowering the volume
"He alleged that while driving, he had a problem with the schoolgirl because he lowered the music volume. A.S. testified that when he reached the school entrance he tapped the girl's shoulder to wake her up because she had fallen asleep … then she surprisingly yelled at him and accused him of molesting her," the corporal claimed to prosecutors.
Prosecutors referred the suspect to the Dubai Court of First Instance and asked for the implementation of the toughest punishment, three to 15 years in jail. The 12-year-old testified that the incident happened after her sister called for a taxi to take her from Dubailand to her school in Al Garhoud.
Scared
"On the way, the driver astonishingly touched my breast and private parts. I got scared and asked him to remove his hand. He lifted his hand and continued driving … two minutes later he repeated his action. I yelled at him and he stopped touching me … when we reached the school I paid him the fare and left. I was petrified and immediately rushed to the school principal and told her what happened," claimed the schoolgirl.
The defendant pleaded not guilty and said he mistakenly touched the girl's shoulder.
Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout will hand out a verdict on February 7.