Filipino maid gets jail term commuted again

She was initially sentenced to five years in jail for robbery

DT News Network

Manama

A Filipino woman convicted of theft had her jail term reduced again on a second appeal.

The woman was sentenced to five years in jail for withdrawing BD5000 from a Gulf citizen's bank account after pocketing his ATM card.

Her prison term was earlier cut to three years after challenging the High Criminal Court's verdict, but now, she will serve only two years' imprisonment after appealing her sentence a second time.

It's suggested the woman was working on a part-time basis for the 81-year-old Gulf national. She was supposed to clean his apartment in Manama.

The victim learned his card was stolen when he reached his hometown. After inquiring with the bank, he was told that BD5000 was withdrawn on multiple occasions. 

The accused's involvement was established after police reviewed CCTV camera footages.

The victim claimed in his complaint the accused was serving as a maid, but the latter said in her statement, she was having a sexual affair with him since 2001.  "I didn't go to the apartment to clean it. I am his girlfriend since 2001. I knew that he puts his ATM card and its pin code inside two different drawers," the accused explained in her statement earlier.

"I withdrew BD5000 and deposited BD3000 in my account. The rest of the amount I used to buy goods, which I exported to my hometown," she said.

She had been accused of theft and fraud.

The accused was also ordered to return the amount she withdrew to the victim, in additional to 7 per cent of the total amount as a legal interest.