Women sentenced in absentia for attacking stepmother at her Dubai Marina flat

Two women have been found guilty of beating up their stepmother and threatening to throw her over the balcony of her apartment in a dispute over inheritance.

DUBAI // Two women have been found guilty of beating their stepmother and threatening to throw her over the balcony of her flat in an inheritance dispute.

Prosecutors told Dubai Criminal Court that on January 26 last year, Austrians C T Z, 37, and C D Z, 35, entered the Dubai Marina flat belonging to M A, 47.

The defendants proceeded to assault and threaten their Saudi Arabian stepmother if she did not give them documents and Dh14.7 million in cheques, the court heard.

In addition to charges of threatening, assaulting and insulting M A, the two were charged with trespassing and stealing a number of items including four cheques, a renouncement letter for a house in Cyprus, two gold necklaces worth Dh16,000 and US$21,000 in cash.

Dubai Police said C T Z and C D Z are the daughters of M A’s late husband, an Austrian.

“They came into the flat at about 11.30am while I was at my desk and they were carrying two large suitcases,” M A said. “One of them pulled me by my shoulders and I could not resist her.”

Both women, who left the UAE before a police report was made, were sentenced in their absence to three years in jail.