A two-year prison sentence was replaced with deportation, while a second suspect was convicted in absentia and remains at large.
Sharjah: A court in Sharjah ordered the deportation of an Arab national in place of a two-year prison sentence after convicting him of stealing several air conditioning units from a villa under construction.
The ruling, issued by the Sharjah Misdemeanour Court, came after a detailed review of police reports, witness testimonies, and investigation findings.
The case began when the victim, also an Arab national, reported the theft of multiple air-conditioning units from his property, which was still under construction. Authorities said the incident was uncovered after the missing units were discovered, prompting an immediate police investigation.
Investigation teams swiftly launched efforts to collect evidence and trace those involved, leading to the identification and arrest of the first suspect. A second suspect was also identified in connection with the crime but remains at large, with ongoing efforts to locate and apprehend him.
During the trial, the first defendant was charged with theft and unlawful entry but denied the allegations. He told the court that he had been seeking job opportunities through social media when the second suspect contacted him and asked him to come to the villa.
According to his testimony, he said he was instructed to help remove the air-conditioning units from the property, transport them outside, and load them onto a vehicle. He maintained that he was unaware the items were stolen.
After reviewing the evidence and hearing the defence, the court ruled that deportation was a more appropriate penalty than imprisonment, replacing the two-year jail term with removal from the country.
In the same case, the court issued a judgment in absentia against the second suspect, who remains at large, with further legal steps underway to secure his arrest.
