Airport porter jailed for stealing candy, perfume bottle

Dubai: A porter has been jailed for three months for stealing a candy and perfume bottle from a passenger’s luggage at the Dubai International Airport.

The 27-year-old Nepalese porter, J.K., opened a passenger’s bag and stole the perfume bottle and one candy while loading luggage on an Emirates flight that was bound to Phuket in April.

In October, the Dubai Court of First Instance handed J.K. a three-month suspended imprisonment after he pleaded guilty and begged for leniency.

Having accused the defendant of abusing his workplace and stealing, prosecutors appealed the primary ruling and demanded a tougher punishment.

The Dubai Appeals Court accepted prosecutors’ appeal and jailed J.K. for three months after convicting him of abusing his work at a government-owned company at the airport and stealing from the luggage.

When he showed up in court, the defendant pleaded guilty and asked the court to uphold the primary ruling against him. Meanwhile, prosecutors asked the appellate court to have J.K. deported.

Prosecutors charged J.K. of stealing a Dh50 worth perfume bottle and a Dh30 worth candy.

According to Sunday’s verdict, presiding judge Eisa Al Sharif fined the porter Dh80 for the theft.

“The accused will also repay Dh80 to his employer. He will be deported following the completion of his punishment,” said presiding judge Al Sharif in courtroom 20.

A security officer [who works for Emirates Group] testified that the defendant was spotted on surveillance cameras opening passengers’ luggage and searching inside them.

“As part of my job, I was checking the recordings of the surveillance cameras and spotted the defendant opening bags and looking for things to take. The defendant opened the side zipper of a backpack and took out what seemed to be candies and put them in his pocket. Then he closed it again and put it back in the cargo container,” said the officer.

A policeman said the defendant was arrested shortly after being reported.

“Upon confronting him with the recordings, J.K. immediately admitted that he stole candies and a perfume bottle. Then we referred him to the Public Prosecution,” said the policeman.

Sunday’s ruling remains subject to appeal before the Cassation Court within 30 days.