Maid sentenced for stealing from employer's home

A Doha Criminal Court has sentenced a Sri Lankan maid to one year in jail and subsequent deportation for stealing jewellery and money from her employer's home.

The maid was convicted of stealing a gold chain and an earring in addition to cash amounting to over QR10,000, according to local Arabic daily Arrayah.

The matter came to light after the employer's sister-in-law said she had lost a gold earring and chain, and that she doubted that the maid had stolen the items.

The sister-in-law was staying with the maid's employer as a guest before travelling to Europe. She informed the latter about the matter after leaving the country upon discovering that the jewellery and some money (euros) were missing, the daily said.

Accordingly, the employer searched the maid's room while she was away and found a pair of expensive branded sunglasses there, 70 euros, the missing gold chain and receipts of money transfers to her home country over a two-month period. These included sums of QR2,800 and QR2,400 though her salary was QR900, according to the report.

When the defendant came back, the employer asked her to explain how she got the money and items that were found in her room. The defendant claimed that she got the money and the sunglasses from another maid.

The other maid denied this later. Also, the employer searched the defendant's handbag and found another receipt for transferring QR4,250 in addition to more money.

The employer then filed a complaint with the authorities concerned and the maid was eventually arrested.

During interrogation, the defendant claimed that she found the missing items in her room, which she said had been used by the guests while they were in Doha. However, the court convicted the maid based on the available evidence.