Man Cleared of Stealing Ex-Wife’s Gold and Gadgets

TDT | Manama

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A man has been acquitted of stealing his ex-wife’s gold jewellery and electronic devices after a court found there was no evidence to support her claim.

The woman went to a police station and accused her former husband of taking her gold jewellery, a mobile phone, an electronic watch and wireless earphones. The Lower Criminal Court cleared him, lawyer Taqi Hussain said.

In its judgment, the court said it may acquit if it is not satisfied the charge has been properly pinned on the accused, or if the proof is not enough. It added that an acquittal does not require a judge to answer every piece of prosecution material, so long as doubt has crept into the case.

Prosecutors relied mainly on the woman’s statement in the information-gathering record, where she said her ex-husband stole the items.

But the man told police the phone, watch and earphones were gifts from her. As for the gold, he said she left it at home after the pair fell out, and that he did not object to handing it back.

The court said the basis put forward to show theft did not satisfy it and did not amount to proof strong enough for a conviction. It found the papers held no certain evidence that the man had carried out the theft alleged.

It also said the woman’s claim was not backed by supporting proof, and could not stand alone. The man’s statement, it added, did not show acts that meet the elements of theft, given his account that some items were gifted and that the gold had been left in the home.

After weighing the case, the court said it could not form a firm belief that the offence had been made out. It therefore acquitted the man under Article 255 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The ruling was delivered in open court, clearing the defendant of the charge.