Dubai A maid pleaded innocent as she claimed in court that she did not rob her sponsor’s money but took a cash equivalent of her unpaid salaries.
The 30-year-old Ethiopian maid, H.Q., was said to have stolen her sponsor’s Dh3,000 and stolen clothes and valuables worth Dh10,000 from the villa where she worked in November 2012.
“I only took an amount equivalent to my low salary, which I had not been paid for some time,” argued H.Q. while entering a not guilty plea before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday.
According to the accusation sheet, prosecutors said the suspect stole Dh3,000 cash, and clothes, mobiles and valuables worth Dh10,000.
“What about the clothes and valuables?” presiding judge Urfan Omar asked the suspect.
“I did not take anything else … it was only my unpaid salary,” she replied.
The sponsor testified to prosecutors that the incident occurred after he went to attend a wedding party along with his wife.
“My 12-year-old son phoned me at 10.30pm and said that the maids were away and he wanted to eat because he was hungry. When I returned home, the two maids [including the suspect] were away. When I checked my belongings and those of my wife’s, I discovered that some cash and valuables had been stolen. The police arrived at the house for questioning and my son told them that H.Q. closed his door for no reason,” claimed the sponsor.
The suspect was cited as admitting to prosecutors that she stole Dh600 only.
Records did not mention as to why the case that happened in 2012 was referred to court after three years.
A ruling will be heard on February 15.
