Dubai A policeman, who stole Dh6,000 that a detainee had kept in the safety box at a police station when he was confined over a cheque case, was handed a suspended imprisonment.
The Indian businessman was apprehended by Dubai Police for being involved in a cheque case in April this year.
The businessman handed over Dh6,000, his wallet, two mobiles and other personal stuff to be kept in the police station’s safety box, before he was sent to the detention cell.
Having spent few days in detention, the businessman was informed that the Misdemeanours Court had fined him Dh1,800.
The businessman told the police that he had kept some money in the safety box at the time he was detained, on which he was taken to the department to get his money back. When the businessman opened the safety box, he found the money had been missing from there.
On Monday, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted the 20-year-old policeman of abusing his authority and stealing the businessman’s Dh6,000.
Citing grounds of leniency, presiding judge Urfan Omar handed the defendant a three-month suspended jail term.
According to Monday’s ruling, presiding judge fined the accused Dh6,000 and asked him to repay Dh3,000 to the police.
The accused who pleaded guilty will be deported.
The accused told prosecutors that the safety boxes can be opened with two keys, one of which is left with the detainee.
He said that he got a duplicate key to open the box and pocketed the money without the businessman’s knowledge.
Records showed a written confession of the accused saying that he took the money to pay for his car’s repairs at a garage.
Meanwhile, the businessman told police interrogators that he would waive his criminal complaint against the suspect if he returned his money.
The ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
