Salesman denies stealing Dh50

Dubai: A "hungry" salesman denied buying food with Dh50, which he had reportedly stolen from the cash register of a supermarket where he was employed, a court heard here.

"I have been working for almost five months at the supermarket and I am fully aware that the registers are monitored by security cameras ... its impossible for me to have stolen any cash from the register," argued the 23-year-old Tunisian salesman when he defended himself before Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir of the Dubai Court of First Instance.

The suspect pleaded not guilty to stealing Dh50, as charged by the Public Prosecution.

The suspect, R.B., told the judge he did not steal anything and that a police lieutenant, who questioned him at the place where the crime took place, deceived him into a confession.

"The [police] officer deceived me and convinced me to admit [the crime], saying that if I confessed, he would plead with the supermarket management to forgive me and let me have my job back," R.B. said in his response on being asked by the judge as to why he had confessed his crime during interrogation by the Public Prosecution.

Surveillance footage

A Yemeni police sergeant, who had questioned R.B., testified that the suspect had initially denied the theft charge. "Later he confessed after we confronted him with footage from the surveillance camera ... He said he needed the money to buy food products," the sergeant said.

A ruling will be heard at the end of the month.