Tourist cleared of molesting waitress

dubai — A tourist was cleared of the charge of molesting a hotel waitress by the Court of First Instance on Monday on the grounds of being mentally ill.

The 42-year-old Saudi earlier denied the charge in court and claimed that the waitress was his wife and that he had compatriot witnesses to prove that.

The accused, however, could not provide official documents to support his claim that he was married to the complainant. He also failed to give information on the witnesses, claiming they were in their country.

His mother earlier presented documents to the court stating that her son had mental problems.

The complainant, an Ethiopian waitress at the hotel located in Al Muraqqabat where the alleged molestation happened, told the prosecutor that the defendant, who was a guest at their hotel since early January, blocked her way as she walked out of the staff ’s lift. He touched her chest and tried to hug her but she pushed him away.

She said the accused was constantly making trouble in the hotel as he argued with the receptionists and barged into the hotel kitchen to order food as he pleased.

She also said that the hotel security guards had called the police a few times to help solve problems and trouble caused by the defendant.

She recounted that the incident happened around 10am on January 16 as she was about to walk out of the staff ’s elevator at the hotel. “The accused was there. He asked me my name and I was shocked by him touching me. He blocked my way and took the lift.” He continued harassing her in the lift and tried to hug her and make her drink from a cup of tea he was holding.

As they reached the ground floor, the waitress pushed the accused away and rushed out. She informed the hotel security guards.

She denied during investigation that she was married to the defendant. She also denied knowing two of his friends.

The accused was caught on the hotel’s CCTV camera sexually harassing the woman.