Dubai: An exhibition manager has been jailed for three months for kissing a music and art enthusiast while she was visiting a photography exhibition about music bands.
The music and art enthusiast was visiting a photography exhibition at Dubai Design District when the American manager started briefing her about the exhibition in March.
Having been in hurry to meet up her family, the woman had to leave the place and she exchanged phone numbers with the defendant, who surprised her with a kiss while walking her outside.
The woman [whose nationality has not been mentioned in records] felt disturbed and did not know whether to report the matter to the police until her relatives and friends advised her to do so.
The American defendant sent a message to the woman on WhatsApp saying that he enjoyed the kiss.
On Monday, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 58-year-old accused of molesting the woman by kissing her.
Presiding judge Urfan Omar said the accused, who pleaded not guilty, will be deported after serving his punishment.
“I did not kiss her,” the defendant told the court earlier.
The woman testified that the incident happened while she was attending the exhibition to get ideas that would help her in establishing her own company in a neighbouring country.
“I visited the exhibition as I wanted to establish my own company. I was talking on phone with a relative whom I was supposed to meet. When I saw the accused, he started briefing me enthusiastically about the exhibition. I exchanged contacts with him for future cooperation and started walking out of the exhibition. He walked beside me and while doing so, he grabbed my face and kissed me. I left the place instantly and was shocked and disturbed with his behaviour … the kiss surprised me and I thought he was a transsexual. When I told my friends about the incident, they advised me to report the matter to police. At first I remained silent, but when he sent me his photos and a message on WhatsApp saying he enjoyed the kiss and wanted to do it again. That was when I complained to the police,” she said.