Dubai: A man and his wife, who were convicted of stealing Dh184,000 from the wife’s elderly sponsor, have failed to convince the Dubai Appeal Court to overturn their five-year imprisonment.
The Dubai Court of First Instance jailed the Lebanese couple for five years for attacking the Saudi sponsor and stealing his Dh184,000 and valuable watch after keeping him tied in his villa.
Records said the 38-year-old Lebanese husband, C.W., flew in from Beirut specially to carry out the heist after coordinating with his 40-year-old wife, S.S., who worked for the 75-year-old Saudi in his villa in Dubai.
The Dubai Appeal Court rejected the Lebanese couple’s appeal and upheld their primary judgement.
The two accused, who will be deported after serving their punishments, had entered a guilty plea contending that they were retrieving their money from the Saudi.
Prosecutors said C.W. sprayed a substance in the Saudi’s eyes, beat him and then stole Dh184,000 and a wristwatch worth Dh20,000. The husband tied the man’s legs and arms and dragged him to his office to open the safe and empty it.
S.S. was charged with aiding and abetting her husband by leaving the villa open when she went shopping in March.
The defendants were convicted and jailed despite having provided the court with a written waiver that they obtained from the Saudi.
The defendants argued in court that they had a misunderstanding with the victim before the incident took place.
The Saudi, a merchant, said S.S. went with the Filipino driver to shop.
“I heard noises outside. I saw C.W. standing very close to me. I grabbed him by his shirt but he punched me twice. I cried for help, but he shouted at me. I pointed at my wallet that was on the table when he asked me for money.
“Then he took out a plastic tape from his pocket and tied my arms and legs. He dragged me to my office and asked for the safe’s key… he found the key on a side table. He opened the safe and took nearly Dh140,000 and $11,000 (Dh40,403) and some Malaysian currency and my watch.”
A police lieutenant said C.W. admitted to him that he came to Dubai based on a previous agreement with S.S. to rob her sponsor.
“The husband confessed that S.S. told him over the phone that she had left the Saudi alone at home and gone shopping. The 38-year-old said he went to the villa because he knew that he was an elderly man and wouldn’t resist him,” the lieutenant said.
