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28 March 2024

Woman groped in Dubai mall's food court

Published
By Eman Al Baik

A Lebanese civil engineer allegedly stuck his body into the back of a woman when she was queuing to order a meal at a shopping mall’s food court, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
 
On July 18, ZA, 37, Emirati, and her sister MA, 20, student went to a mall to have lunch.
 
While they were standing at the counter of a restaurant, a man stood behind ZA and stuck his body to hers.
 
“I turned back and asked the man standing behind me to go away and not to stick his body to mine. He did that intentionally as there was no crowd at the counter.
 
“He looked at me and put his hand next to my backside intentionally. I got angry and asked him if he had heard and understood what I said. He gestured at me to keep silent and turned to talk to the waiter to get his meal and then disappeared,” said the victim.
 
Her sister, who was standing next to her at the counter, repeated corroborative testimonies.
 
The victim reported the incident to the police who reviewed CCTV in the mall and its parking lot as well as at the restaurant.
 
Police identified the accused and called him, asking him to come to the police station.
 
Camera footage showed the accused sticking his body to the victim’s intentionally even though there was no crowd at the counter.
 
The prosecution supplied the court with video footage.
 
The accused admitted to standing behind the victim but denied sticking his body to hers, claiming that he does not know why she shouted at him.

The court will reconvene on January 10.