A Dubai man admitted in court on Sunday (today) that he fixed a secret camera inside a bathroom to monitor water consumption by his female housemates while they showered.
“Yes I fixed the secret camera in the ceiling above the shower to observe how much water my housemates consumed while taking a shower,” the 40-year-old Filipino suspect told the Dubai Court of First Instance.
Prosecutors accused the sales executive with molesting his two countrywomen housemates and breaching their modesty by secretly watching them naked while taking a shower.
According to the accusation sheet, the defendant fixed the camera in the ceiling so he could take secret video footage of 33-year-old Cara, and 32-year-old Maryam (not real names) while they were having a shower.
The defendant, who is on bail and showed up late in courtroom seven on Sunday at first denied the accusations. But he later retracted his denial and confessed that he did fix the camera in the washroom.
Surprised with his answer, Presiding Judge Maher Salama Al Mahdi asked the defendant a rhetorical question on whether he worked for Dubai Electricity and Water Authority to monitor the victims’ water consumption.
The defendant dropped his head down in embarrassment without responding.
Clara, one of the victims testified that the incident happened after she spotted the suspect entering their washroom although he and his family use a separate washroom.
“I doubted the reason why he used our washroom. When I looked up at the ceiling I noticed that there was a tiny medal-like lens attached to a USB,” she said.
“I unplugged the lens and switched it off. Then I finished my shower and went to my laptop and plugged the USB to it. The device contained two video recordings. One of them was me naked and having a shower, the other recording showed Maryam also taking a shower naked as well. The beginning of each of the footages showed the suspect’s face. I called my friend (Maryam) and told her what I discovered,” Clara told prosecutors.
Records said when the women confronted the defendant, he immediately apologised and then they asked him to leave the residence.
“I gathered my belongings and left the apartment because I didn’t want to stay there anymore. I reported the matter to the police after two days,” claimed Clara.
While confirming Clara’s testimony, Maryam said the defendant cried when they discovered what he did.
Prosecution records cited the accused admitting to fixing the camera secretly to watch his housemates naked while they showered. A judgment will be heard next week. [GN]
