Three Asian Employees Acquitted of Embezzlement Charges
TDT | Manama
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The High Appeals Court has acquitted three Asian employees of embezzling 18,000 Bahraini dinars (approximately $47,700 USD) worth of goods from their company's warehouse.
The Court overturned a lower court's ruling, accepting the defendants' claims that they were coerced into signing statements and that company officials were aware of the inventory shortage months before filing a report.
The case centered on a complaint filed by the company alleging a significant shortfall in its warehouse stock. The company initially implicated two sales representatives, who were subsequently investigated and charged. They vehemently denied any involvement in the alleged embezzlement.
Lawyer Zuhair Abdullatif, representing the first defendant, argued that his client, a sales employee, had no responsibility for warehouse inventory management. He highlighted the absence of crucial documentation, such as delivery receipts and sales invoices, necessary to prove the embezzlement charge under Article 1/424 of the Penal Code.
The case centered on a complaint filed by the company alleging a significant shortfall in its warehouse stock. The company initially implicated two sales representatives, who were subsequently investigated and charged. They vehemently denied any involvement in the alleged embezzlement.
Lawyer Zuhair Abdullatif, representing the first defendant, argued that his client, a sales employee, had no responsibility for warehouse inventory management. He highlighted the absence of crucial documentation, such as delivery receipts and sales invoices, necessary to prove the embezzlement charge under Article 1/424 of the Penal Code.
Abdullatif emphasized that sales representatives could only sell goods using company invoices, copies of which are always submitted to management. Without matching delivery and sales records, he argued, the charge of embezzlement could not be substantiated.
Furthermore, Abdullatif pointed to the testimony of a second defendant, who stated that he had reported the inventory discrepancy to management as early as November 2023. He claimed to possess evidence, including communication records, supporting this claim.
Furthermore, Abdullatif pointed to the testimony of a second defendant, who stated that he had reported the inventory discrepancy to management as early as November 2023. He claimed to possess evidence, including communication records, supporting this claim.
This suggests the company was aware of the shortage for several months before filing a formal complaint in June 2024, leading Abdullatif to argue that the company's actions violated Article 9 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
The lower court's decision to acquit the defendants was based on the consistency of their statements regarding informing the company owner about the inventory shortage. This created reasonable doubt in the court's mind, leading to the acquittal.
The lower court's decision to acquit the defendants was based on the consistency of their statements regarding informing the company owner about the inventory shortage. This created reasonable doubt in the court's mind, leading to the acquittal.
The appeals court upheld this decision, confirming the acquittal of all three employees. The ruling implies that the company may have attempted to scapegoat the employees for a pre-existing problem.
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