Farmer cleared of sexually abusing co-worker

Court acquits him of molestation charges due to lack of evidence

Legal and Court Correspondent

Afarmer has been cleared of repeatedly kissing and molesting his co-worker at their sponsor’s farm over a period of 18 months.

The 22-year-old Pakistani co-worker was reported to have been sitting on a sofa inside a tent adjacent to his sponsor’s farm in Al Aweer in October.

As the co-worker was busy on his mobile, the 37-year-old Pakistani farmer was alleged to have sat beside him and asked him to pay him back Dh250 once he finished the call.

The 22-year-old claimed that when he told the farmer that he didn’t have the money, the latter allegedly asked his countryman to allow him to have sex with him instead.

The Dubai Court of First Instance yesterday acquitted the farmer of grabbing his coworker by his neck, kissing and molesting him due to lack of corroborated evidence.

The co-worker claimed to prosecutors that the farmer repeatedly molested him between April 2017 and October 2018 at their sponsor’s farm.

Thursday’s ruling remains subject to appeal.