DUBAI // A driver molested a five-year-old girl when she was left alone on the school bus, a court has been told.
In January this year, the Egyptian kindergarten pupil was sitting by herself while the bus attendant accompanied other children to their parents.
The Pakistani driver, 26, told the girl to sit on his lap then kissed her.
“She told me that the driver asked her to kiss him and she refused,” said the girl’s mother, 30. “He grabbed her by her hand and sat her on his lap, and kissed her before the bus attendant came back.”
The attendant, 27, said: “I left the bus to hand over another pupil to his family. When I got back I saw the Egyptian girl sitting on his lap and the defendant kissed her on her cheek.
She led the girl off the bus and reported the incident to school administration.
At Dubai Criminal Court the driver denied a sexual assault charge, and a verdict is expected on April 12.
tzriqat@thenational.ae
