DUBAI // A bus driver locked the door of his vehicle before groping a female passenger and demanding a kiss, the Dubai Criminal Court heard today.
JA, a 32-year-old Filipina telephone operator, boarded the RTA vehicle on the morning of March 14 to head to her workplace. But when the bus arrived at her stop and she tried to open the door, she found it was locked. No other passengers were on board at the time.
"I told the driver the door was locked and he asked me for a kiss to open it," said the woman.
She refused his request and started banging on the door trying to open it. She said the driver, MM, 35, then walked towards her and touched her buttocks and chest and insisted she kiss him.
"I continued screaming and told him I would call the police," said the woman.
The driver, who is from Egypt, then opened the door and let her go. She called police about four hours later.
The driver denied a charge of forceful sex assault. Sentencing was scheduled for June 19.
salamir@thenational.ae