A woman has been sentenced to three months in jail, 50 lashes and deportation for attempting to sell her month-old baby boy for Dh20,000 and committing adultery with two men. A court source said that the baby's father was not known since the woman had committed adultery with the two men.

Police sources said that the woman had been caught last August 17 while she was handing her baby to an undercover policeman in a sting operation. The sources said the woman and a go-between were arrested as they completed the deal in a car. They were also forced to return the money.

The go-between was promised Dh5,000 by the mother for arranging the deal. The woman told police that the baby was the result of an illicit relationship and she was forced to sell it because she could not afford to raise it.

"The woman who played the go-between was also sentenced to three months in jail for encouraging the mother to sell her child," the sources said.