Housemaid charged with stealing Dh1m

Dubai: A housemaid has been accused of stealing Dh1 million while her sponsor was training on a treadmill after a friend promised to buy her a house in her home country.

The 30-year-old Ethiopian, K.W., admitted stealing cash and jewellery but claimed before the Dubai Court of First Instance she did not know the amount stolen.

The defendant told Presiding Judge Jasem Al Beloushi she did not count the money that she stole.

According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said K.W. abused the fact that her sponsor was busy by stealing a key from her purse and opening the safe. Then she stole the money and jewellery and ran away.

The sponsor's lawyer asked the court to adjourn the case until he presents a civil lawsuit against K.W.

An Emirati police corporal told the court an informant said the defendant was at her home. He said police arrested K.W. at the house.

During questioning, K.W. admitted that her compatriot and friend, M.M., asked her to steal the money and promised to buy her a house in Ethiopia. She said she waited for her sponsor to be busy before taking the keys, opening the safe, stealing the money and jewellery and running away.

Prosecution records quoted the defendant saying: "I jumped into a taxi and called M.M. Later he picked me up and we went to Al Rashidiya where I handed him the moneybag… then he gave me Dh200,000... The next day he met me again and asked me to return the Dh200,000 because he needed to travel to Ethiopia. He promised to buy for me a house in my homeland…"

The court reconvenes on June 18.