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A BAHRAINI has found himself in the dock after allegedly assaulting an expatriate coffee shop colleague and burning her face with scalding hot water.
The 20-year-old, from Tubli, is standing trial at the High Criminal Court. He is facing charges relating to physical assault, attempting to strangle the victim, pouring hot water over her and hitting her with a kettle.
According to court documents, the victim, a 26-year-old Ugandan barista, was on the receiving end of a vicious beating following a dispute between them.
The accused reportedly began to assault his co-worker using his hands, allegedly hitting her in multiple parts of the body, including the face and shoulders.
It is unclear whether anybody else was in the cafe at the time of the incident, but the situation escalated, and he went to the coffee prep station and filled a container with boiling hot water.
He allegedly held her and started pouring the boiling water on her face, and she managed to run away and leave the shop while writhing in what she described as ‘severe pain’, according to her witness statement.
She saw a delivery driver and quickly approached him and begged for help, frantically explaining that she was being assaulted by the defendant.
The surprised driver had little time to act, as the accused reportedly followed the victim outside and continued his assault with a kettle and even attempted to strangle her.
He demanded she return inside so they could deal with the matter ‘privately’, but she vehemently refused.
Instead, she hurriedly crossed the street and entered a store opposite to the coffee shop and pleaded for help.
Once people inside heard what had happened they called the police. Officers arrived within minutes to apprehend and arrest the man.
Following a report by the officers, an investigation was launched. During interviews, the accused admitted to the crime, the court heard, but the reasons behind the assault were not outlined.
A medical report confirmed that the victim suffered minor injuries to the face, shoulders and other parts of the body, including a burn on her face that caused the skin to peel.
Security footage from just outside the shop showed the victim rushing out of the coffee shop and approaching the surprised delivery man.
The footage also showed the accused following her shortly afterwards, hitting her with the kettle and attempting to strangle her, before the brave delivery driver stepped in and held him back while she fled across the street. The Public Prosecution placed the accused in provisional detention and referred the case to the High Criminal Court where the first hearing took place yesterday.
Judges questioned him regarding the charges to which he silently nodded, with the court noting his response.
The case has been adjourned until November 30 for further deliberation.
nader@gdnmedia.bh
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