Court Acquits Company Owner Accused of Employing Unlicensed Food Delivery Worker

TDT | Manama

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The Lower Criminal Court has acquitted a company owner accused of employing a food delivery worker without a permit, dismissing the initial criminal order that fined him 1,000 Bahraini dinars.

The case stemmed from spotting the foreign worker, identified as the second defendant, operating a motorcycle bearing the logo of a food delivery company. Investigations revealed that the worker lacked a valid work permit despite wearing company attire and using a company motorcycle.

The defense lawyer, Mariam Al Sakran, argued that the relationship between the first and second defendants was not a genuine employer-employee relationship. She highlighted inconsistencies in the investigation, including the lack of a translator for the second defendant, who is of Asian origin and does not speak Arabic. The defense also emphasised the defendant's denial of the charges.

The court's decision hinged on the fact that the worker's mobile phone screen was captured by labour inspectors, revealing that he was using an account registered under another person's name, who had a work relationship with the company. This was corroborated by the first defendant's statements during questioning.

The court concluded that there was reasonable doubt about the existence of an employer-employee relationship between the two defendants, leading to the acquittal of the first defendant.