Dubai housemaid jailed for stealing nearly Dh1m from employer​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​

The woman gave the money to a man who smuggled it out of the UAE, a police officer said

A Dubai court has granted a retrial to an Emirati man who was convicted of causing his friend’s death in a Shisha fire. AFP

A domestic worker in Dubai has been jailed for a year for stealing currency worth nearly Dh1 million ($217,800) from her employer.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Dubai Criminal Court said the Ugandan woman, 26, stole Dh760,000, $50,000 (Dh183,650) and 3,000 Kuwaiti Dinars (Dh36,425).

The housemaid had earlier been caught stealing, said her Lebanese employer.

"This was last March, shortly after she started working for us," said the employer.

“I spoke to her about it, and asked her not to steal.”

The Lebanese couple who sponsored the maid then hid the key to their bedroom, where they kept large sums of money.

On September 29, 2020, the man took out Dh1,000 from a drawer in his bedroom.

"I put the key back in the same place," he said.

Minutes later, the housemaid went upstairs and returned with a plastic bag.

"I was on the phone when I saw her carrying the bag outside but I didn't suspect anything," said the man.

The next morning, the maid left the house and did not return.

The couple then discovered their money was missing and informed the police.

On October 19, the maid was arrested but the cash was not recovered.

“During questioning, she admitted to stealing the money and handing it over to a man who then smuggled it out of the country,” said a police officer.

“Her friend gave her Dh5,500 and helped her hide until he found a way to get her out of the country, but he couldn't.”

The maid denied the theft charge but was convicted by the court.

She was ordered to repay Dh880,000 to her employers and will be deported after the jail term.