A taxi driver who molested his passenger then stole the gifts she had bought for her children will spend nine months in jail.
The woman, whose age and nationality were not disclosed in court records, was being driven from Abu Dhabi to Dubai International Airport on November 12, where she was due to travel back to her home country, when the incident occurred.
The Pakistani driver, 30, molested the woman and, when she rejected his advances, he stopped the car and dragged her out of the vehicle by her hair.
The driver sped off with her purse, three mobile phones, Dh3,000 in cash, and all her luggage which included gifts she had bought for her children.
The woman reported the incident to Jebel Ali Police Station but was unable to give a testimony of what happened for two days because of her grief.
"She was crying the whole time," said an Emirati lieutenant, 39, who took her statement.
After a few days, she was able to tell police the name of the taxi company and identified the accused after being shown pictures of their drivers.
"She fell to her knees and sobbed when she saw the accused's picture," the policeman said.
The accused was arrested a few days later at Abu Dhabi International Airport while attempting to flee the country.
Court documents did not reveal whether police were able to recover the woman’s stolen belongings.
At Dubai Criminal Court last June, the driver denied a charge of sexual assault but admitted to the theft.
On Monday, he was convicted of both charges and sentenced to nine months in prison followed by deportation.
