A man was cleared by the Dubai Court of First Instance of molesting a 15-year-old boy on a Dubai beach. According to the public prosecution records, the 27-year-old Pakistani man, a driver, followed the boy as he swam off the Jumeirah beach and made more than one move to make him touch him inappropriately. He allegedly got close, grabbed the Kyrgyzstani boy's hand and forced him to touch him.

He had denied a molestation charge during his court appearance, claiming it was unintentional. The reason behind the acquittal ruling was not immediately known.

The boy, his mother, her parents and a friend were on the beach at 3pm on March 30 this year.

"My parents sat down relaxing while my friend went to buy a meal. I walked down the beach and watched as my son swam. I noticed a man (the accused) following my son from a short distance and trying to talk to him. He kept following my son even though he was apparently avoiding him," said the 37-year-old clerk.

"When my son went to his grandmother, I talked to him. I asked him what was wrong as he looked embarrassed and was not at ease. He recounted how the defendant had been stalking him and trying to make him touch him."

The mother told the prosecutor that the defendant managed to grab her son's hand by force and make him touch him, prompting him to push his hand away and leave the water.

The mother confronted the accused, but he ignored her. "He tried to run away but could not because some beach goers had gathered around him until the police arrived." 

A policeman said the accused was caught on the spot by officers from the criminal investigation department. "He denied he molested the boy, claiming he touched his chest by mistake."

The mother's friend testified during police questioning that he saw the accused getting close to the boy more than once. "But I did not witness the incident."

The court ruling may be appealed by the public prosecution.

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