ABU DHABI// The acquittal of an Egyptian woman accused of stealing a number of abayas and headscarves from her Emirati sister has been upheld on appeal.
MS has lived with her Emirati sister since 1999 when their parents died and her sister became her guardian and sponsor, including during the period of the alleged thefts.
"I was in the country at her home when she filed her complaint in July 2010, where would I have stolen the things and escaped," she said in a previous hearing.
The complaint followed an argument between the two that led to MS returning to Egypt. "She told me she was a local and I'm a resident, so I should just go back to Egypt."
Last August she tried to return to the UAE for work. "I was surprised when the airport officials did not let me in. They said my visa has been cancelled by my sponsor."
Why, she asked the court, would her sister cancel her visa if she believed MS had her possessions? "She would have waited for me to enter the country so they can arrest me."
She was then able to enter the country last December on a visit visa. "My sister told me my car had been stolen and burnt, so I went to file a police report to find it," she told the judge.
"I was surprised that there has been a court case against me which has already been sentenced in the first instance court and was now in appeals."
"I only found out about the lawsuit last Wednesday."
The First Instance Court had acquitted MS of theft, but the public prosecution appealed.
hdajani@thenational.ae