DUBAI // A salesman has denied molesting a 10-year-old Arab girl in the lift of a residential building.
Pakistani S S, 38, was delivering items to an apartment in a building on March 3 when he kissed, hugged and touched the victim inappropriately, prosectors told Dubai Criminal Court.
The alleged victim’s mother told prosecutors her daughter was scared and acting strangely when she came back from the supermarket.
“I asked her what was wrong, and she told me that a man had kissed her in the lift,” she said.
Following the alleged attack, the mother said she went out with her child to search for the attacker and spotted him near the stairs on the same floor. The name of the building and the location in Dubai were not disclosed.
“M A pointed at S S and told me that he was the man,” said the 38-year-old mother, from Algeria.
“I shouted at S S and approached him. He fell to his knees and asked for forgiveness,” she added.
The mother reported the attack to police.
Police officer, F A, 32, told prosecutors the defendant was delivering items to the sixth floor of the building.
“S S told us that he knew the girl, he pushed her floor button when she entered the lift, he then hugged and kissed her,” F A said.
The defendant told police officers that the girl pushed him away, after he tried to kiss her.
“He denied touching her private parts, S S only said he kissed her,” added the police officer.
At Dubai Criminal Court on Sunday, the defendant denied a charge of molestation. The next hearing will be on June 23.
tzriqat@thenational.ae