Dubai: A jobless man was acquitted Sunday of luring a girl with deception and molesting her in her bedroom.
The Dubai Court of First Instance cleared the 27-year-old Emirati man, A.J., citing uncorroborated evidence.
According to the charges sheet, prosecutors charged A.J. of molesting his compatriot in her bedroom after he threatened to show her indecent pictures to her mother if she did not allow him inside the villa. He was also accused of trying to kill himself inside police detention centre by drinking a detergent.
His trial started back in 2009. In January 2010, the court sentenced him in absentia to three years for molesting the girl and threatening to dishonor her using deception. He was also granted an additional month for attempted suicide.
A.J. appealed verdict in absentia. However, the appellate court cancelled his appeal because it was impermissible to appeal a verdict in absentia. The case was referred back to the Court of First Instance that acquitted him on Sunday.
The suspect strongly refuted his three charges.
Prosecutors said paramedics foiled the attempt of A.J. to kill himself when he drank detergent inside the police station after he was detained.
"I didn't have any intention of killing myself. What happened is that after a number of policemen beat me hard, the officer refused to send me to a hospital. I drank the detergent because I needed to be taken to hospital to obtain a medical report," A.J. contended in court.
The defendant denied trespassing into the girl's bedroom and molesting her. Prosecutors claimed he kissed the girl's neck and groped her.
The Emirati girl testified that the suspect phoned her at college and asked to meet her because he wanted to return her photo.
"He forwarded the picture to my mobile phone. When I called him back, he said he liked me and wanted to talk to me. Dubai Police's Al Ameen service asked me to lodge a complaint at the police station. I didn't do so out of shame. He repeatedly stalked me wanting to see me."
The girl alleged that one day A.J. told her over the phone that he would show the picture to her mother if she did not let him in.
She allowed him into her bedroom through the window because he was standing outside the door of the family's house. She said he molested her on her bed.
The primary verdict remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
View the original article here
No comments:
Post a Comment