DUBAI // A Sri Lankan who fled the country after stealing money from his company and then returned with a new identity was sentenced to three months in jail on Thursday.
Dubai Criminal Court heard that S W, 38, left the UAE on June 3, 2014, the day after he stole Dh3,600 from his employer, Oxygen Life trading company.
He then returned under a different passport and name.
Colleague A S said she had called S W that morning after arriving at the office at 8.45am.
“He didn’t pick up and I looked for him in the offices but he wasn’t there. I got suspicious and checked my drawer where I kept the cash and found it missing.”
She also noticed that the S W’s passport was missing from her manager’s drawer.
There were no signs of a break-in and she was the only one with a key for the office, something she had given to the defendant when she went on leave.
“The manager had given me the cash so I could pay bills and other costs,” A S said.
She noted that the defendant was constantly complaining about his salary.
Prosecutors also produced footage showing the defendant as he entered the manager’s office.
The camera caught him opening a drawer and then picking up something before moving out of the shot.
Last month, S W denied a theft charge in court but was convicted. He will be deported after serving his three-month sentence.
salamir@thenational.ae
