A SUPERMARKET employee is on trial for allegedly molesting a 12-year-old girl.
The 50-year-old Indian appeared before the High Criminal Court yesterday to plead not guilty to sexual assault.
He entered his plea during a hearing that was closed to the public.
Prosecutors argue the defendant groped a 12-year-old girl outside a supermarket in Isa Town in July, as he was loading shopping bags into the victim’s vehicle.
The girl has described the incident in a statement to prosecutors.
“On July 16, I went to a supermarket in Isa Town with my mother,” she said.
“After my mother bought groceries she gave me the keys to open the car for the shop employee.
“He then placed his hands on my chest and I initially thought he did not mean it.
“He then placed the back of his hand on my chest for a second time.”
She said she was initially shocked, but was able to describe the incident to her mother soon afterwards.
“I panicked,” she said. “He was smiling at me and I will never forget his face.
“I went to look for my mother in the supermarket and we left quickly.
“I was enraged and while we were at a nearby restaurant my mother asked me what was wrong.
“I told her what had happened and she reported the incident to police.”
However, the defendant has denied the allegation.
“What I am accused of is not true,” he told prosecutors.
“I helped the woman, who was accompanied by her daughter, load shopping bags into the car.
“I never touched her daughter. I have worked in Bahrain for more than 20 years and have never done anything illegal.”
Defence lawyer Hussein Al Kaabi has urged judges to acquit his client, arguing there was a lack of evidence and no witnesses – despite the incident allegedly occurring in a busy area with surveillance cameras.
The trial has been adjourned until November 27 for review.
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