Quran teacher molested girl, court rules

Bangladeshi man will serve six months in prison followed by deportation.

Powered by automated translation

DUBAI // A Quran teacher who molested his eight-year-old student was sentenced today to six months in prison followed by deportation.

SM, 45, from Bangladesh, inappropriately touched and sexually molested the girl in her grandmother's house on September 14, 2010, the third day of Eid al Fitr, prosecutors told the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance.


According to prosecution records, SM was hired to teach the Quran to the girl by her mother, FN, 31.

“He used to teach our neighbor's children so we hired him to teach my daughter,” she said.


The man taught lessons daily, and rubbed his hands inappropriately on the victim's legs, according to prosecutors.


“He always did it, and I was afraid to tell any one because he used to scare me,” the girl told prosecutors.


LR, 18, from India, the girl’s aunt, told prosecutors she eventually spotted SM’s inappropriate acts.

“On the day of the incident, he came to the house and sat in a chair adjacent to my niece's chair,” LR said.

“I went into my room, and came out a few minutes later and saw him reciting verses of the Quran while he had his hand on her left thigh rubbing it.

“I stopped in shock and he realised that I saw him, and he stuttered, but then he pulled his hand and continued reading, trying to act normally."


FN, the girl’s mother, said that later “he called me and told me that due to work circumstances, he had to stop teaching. I asked him to come the next day and collect his fees."


“My daughter said that he has been doing that for some time. I then confronted him after informing police,” she said.

SM will be deported after serving his prison term.

salamir@thenational.ae