Dubai A worker accused of groping a teenager has pleaded not guilty in court and instead accused the girl of lying.
The 36-year-old Pakistani worker made the allegation before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday.
The incident took place in July when the 13-year-old Emirati girl was shopping with her mother at Dragon Mart.
“Did you touch her inappropriately two times while she was present with her mother,” presiding judge Ezzat Abdul Lat asked the defendant.
“I did not touch her at all. At first she claimed that I took photos, but when I denied that, she purported that I erased the photos and claimed to her mother that I molested her,” the accused said.
The girl’s mother testified to prosecutors that she noticed something was wrong when her daughter insisted on leaving Dragon Mart quickly.
“When I asked her why, she told me that the suspect had groped her twice. She also told me that he took pictures of her with his mobile phone. I watched the defendant closely. I spotted him sitting on a bench with the camera of his mobile phone pointing at my daughter… I realised he had been taking photos. I immediately called the the police,” the mother said.
The teenager testified to prosecutors that the suspect walked behind her for a while before he groped her.
According to prosecution records, 89 photos of women and children were found on the accused’s phone.
A ruling will be heard next month.
