A driving instructor was arrested on Sunday for the sexual harassment of a female learner driver on three occasions when she was having driving lessons in Taipa, Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Wong Wai Chon said during a regular press conference yesterday.
According to Wong, the married suspect surnamed Mok is in his sixties. He told the police that he works as a driving instructor in a driving school in the city centre. The victim is a local university student in her twenties. She told the police that she started her driving lessons last month, Wong said.
According to Wong, the three alleged cases of harassment happened on August 18 and last Tuesday respectively. The victim only reported the case to the police on Friday as she was scared, Wong said. The victim told the police that she went for a driving lesson in a car with Mok in Estrada da Ponta da Cabrita in Taipa.
According to Wong, Mok told the victim to get out of the car and check if the car had gone beyond the yellow line on the road during a parking lesson on August 18. Then Mok allegedly touched her waist and thigh, Wong said.
Last Tuesday morning, both had a driving lesson in the same location in Taipa. During the lesson, Mok allegedly touched the victim’s waist and thigh again. Moreover, Wong said that Mok had touched her breast and pulled the victim’s hand to touch his lower body during the afternoon driving lesson on that day.
According to Wong, the victim was scared and only told her family on Thursday. The woman reported the case to the police on Friday.
PSP officers went to the driving school where Mok works and his home in Rua do Guimarães. However, he wasn’t there, Wong said. Police officers called his mobile phone but the number had been switched off, Wong added.
According to Wong, the police arrested Mok at the Barrier Gate checkpoint when he was about to re-enter Macau on Sunday afternoon.
Mok denied the woman’s claim that he had sexually harassed her during the driving lessons. He also told the police that it was just a “joke” when he pulled the victim’s hand to touch his lower body last Tuesday afternoon.
Cheong said that Mok has been transferred to the Public Prosecution Office (MP) for possible arraignment on a sexual harassment charge.
According to Article 164-A of the Macau Penal Code, the offence is punishable by up to one year behind bars or a fine.
Public Police Security (PSP) spokesman Wong Wai Chon answers reporters’ questions during yesterday’s regular press conference. Photo: Kristy Chan
