Sex assault accused says woman owed him rent money

Pakistani says claims from Vietnamese woman are malicious and only came about because he was asking her for unpaid rent.

DUBAI // A Pakistani driver charged with sexually assaulting his flatmate said the accusations were malicious because he was asking her for unpaid rent, a Dubai court heard on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said that on August 9, the 30-year-old driver kissed the woman on her head and neck then hugged her and touched her breast.

The Vietnamese saleswoman, 26, said she rented a bed space at the defendant’s apartment in International City and, on the day of the incident, she awoke to him kissing her head and neck at about 10.30am.

“He then slept next to me, hugged and touched me. When I pushed him away and said I will leave the flat, he wouldn’t allow it unless the contract is over by the end of September,” said the woman.

She changed her clothes and later got out the flat and headed to her work, where she told a friend of what had happened. Later the same day, she said the defendant sent her a WhatsApp message insulting her.

The saleswoman was advised by her friend to go to police, which she did that day.

Police went to his apartment to find him asleep. The one-bedroom apartment was found to have five other beds, each rented for Dh700 a month only to women.

“This is not true and didn’t happen - these are malicious accusations. The fact is that she owes me unpaid rent,” said the man.

He awaits a verdict on October 25.