A part time maid accused of adultery after giving birth without a husband, said she was married to an imam but he left the country with their marriage contract, the criminal court heard on Wednesday.
Defence attorney of RY, from Indonesia, told the court that his client had met an imam from Yemen and they agreed to wed.
“He brought witnesses and a marriage cleric and signed a fake contract, but she had no idea the contract was invalid,” he argued, “so she started a relationship with him based on the fact that they were legally married.”
He kept the contract and then left the country with it.
“The contract appeared to fulfil the required prerequisite, so even if it were invalid she should not be charged with adultery.”
As a result of the relationship RY became pregnant and was caught by the authorities after delivering her baby without legal evidence of her marriage.
Her employer, who was other than her sponsor, ES, from Egypt, was charged with recruiting someone who was not on his sponsorship.
He told the court they were in the process of shifting her sponsorship but she kept stalling and never gave them the required documents.
“We were in urgent need for a helper because of my sick son, and we were ready to carry out the legal procedures but she kept stalling,” he told the court.
“Eventually when she failed to present the documents we ended her services.”
He stressed his good intentions to the court.
As for the pregnancy, he said they were unaware of it because she did not live with them before.
“She did not tell us she was pregnant and we did not know her background.”
A verdict will be announced on July 1.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
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