Woman molested after taking a lift from a stranger, Dubai court hears

Filipina says she was forced to touch the Iraqi man after she spurned his advances.

DUBAI // A woman who accepted a lift home from a strange man was instead taken to a deserted area and molested, Dubai Criminal Court heard.

Filipino NT, 27, said in records that on June 6 she was in Jumeirah waiting for a taxi to take her to Al Muraqqabat after finishing her work.

At about 10pm a car stopped near her and an Iraqi man offered her a lift. She accepted as it was getting late.

“I was about to sit in the back seat when the driver told me to take the seat next to him,” the Filipina said.

The two chatted about her work and her background before the man started flirting with her.

“He told me I was beautiful then held my hand and forced me to touch him,” she said. “When I refused and pulled my hand away, he took a quick turn and I found ourselves in a dark, deserted area.”

The victim recalled being molested and being forced into pleasuring him after he got undressed. He then drove her to an area nearby where she hailed a taxi home.

She arrived home crying and told her friends what had happened and they advised her to contact police.

The Iraqi man, ZB, 36, was arrested and referred to court on molestation charges, which he denied.

The next hearing is on November 2.