Butcher threw away wallet left behind by customer, Abu Dhabi court hears

ABU DHABI // A butcher threw away a wallet left in his shop by a customer because he was scared he would be accused of stealing it, a court heard today.

MM, from Jordan, who is fighting his conviction for stealing the wallet, told the Appeals Court that he found the wallet in his shop but threw it away out of fear.

"It did not have any money in it, only cards," said the butcher.

"So if it had money inside you would have taken the money?" asked Chief Justice Dr Khairi Al Kabbash. "Would you like someone to take your cards and throw them away?"

The butcher insisted he threw the wallet away because he was scared, saying he "had only been in the country for a week".

"So you were worried there are not enough wallets here?" joked the chief justice.

The judge told the butcher that even so, instead of theft, he could be charged with not reporting a lost item.

"I had been here for a week only and did not know the rules, I did this out of pure ignorance," said the butcher. "It is your choice in the end what to charge me with."

Dr Al Kabbash replied: "Did your mum pray against you because you upset her?"

"No she prays for me the most," said the butcher.

A verdict is expected next week.