Dubai: An airport porter was sentenced to three years in jail for removing the safety tape from a businessman’s bag and stealing Dh286,000 in cash from it.
The Indian businessman had flown in to Dubai carrying three bags in which he put a total of Dh1.1 million in cash to buy gold and export them to Saudi Arabia.
The 28-year-old Bangladeshi porter, who remains at large, removed the tape off one of the Indian’s bags and stole an envelope that contained part of the cash [Dh286,000].
The Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced the porter in absentia to three years in jail.
The presiding judge also ordered him to repay Dh286,000 to the Indian victim.
A 29-year-old Ghanaian porter was fined Dh1,000 for failing to report to the police about the theft.
The Ghanaian defendant pleaded not guilty.
The businessman testified that he flew in to Dubai to buy gold and export them to Saudi Arabia.
“I put Dh1.1 million in separate envelopes that I distributed in two bags. When I arrived at the conveyors belt, I received the first bag that was properly sealed. When the second bag arrived, I discovered that the safety tape that I had placed on at Al Qaseem airport had been removed. I took my bags and headed to the customs section to declare the money … when I opened the bags, I realised that Dh286,000 had been stolen. Immediately, I reported the matter to the police,” he said.
The 29-year-old Ghanaian defendant told prosecutors that the absconder removed the tape off the bag and stole the envelope that contained the money.
The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within 12 days.
