Watchman jailed for groping colleague

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

DUBAI: A senior watchman who stormed a tower’s ladies washroom to molest a female workmate was on Monday sent to spend three months in the dock.

The Asian defendant, 42, breached the modesty of the Ugandan watchwoman, 32, in the washroom of a tower in the Business Bay during late night hours on Dec.13.2018, prosecutors revealed in court on Mar.11.

He forcibly bussed, disrobed and touched her. He expressed remorse before the police, according to records at the Bur Dubai Police Station.

The Dubai Criminal Court imprisoned him for three months plus deportation.

He was her supervisor. At around 2am he sent her to a room allocated for lost and found items.

He told her to pick items from a sack on the ground. He suddenly clutched her and locked the door. He relentlessly bussed her face as she resisted trying to escape.

She complained to a workmate and a foreman. He sent her Whatsapp messages calling her to return.  The next day he repeatedly intimidated her and threatened to kill her. On Dec.13 when she had a break she went to the washroom to wash her face.

He stormed it saying “I have come for you!” She fled and tried locking herself in a changing room but he ran, pushed the door and entered. During the scuffle he managed to rip her blouse and pull her clothes. She resisted fearing he would rape her.

Records showed he too tried to disrobe but a sound on the washroom door scared the life out him and he ran away. He later sent her messages apologising and claiming he was not aware she was inside the washroom. She contacted the police.

An Emirati policeman said the defendant claimed he was examining the security situation in corridors and washrooms when he unexpectedly landed on her. “When I showed him messages on her mobile he started apologising,” said the policeman.