Man jailed for swindling BD 12,900

Manama : The High Criminal Appeals Court yesterday upheld the two-year jail term issued against a Bahraini man convicted of fraud. The 29-year-old defendant reportedly swindled a fellow countrywoman of BD 12,900 after convincing her of his ability to secure a government housing for her. The defendant is her friend’s relative and she met him during a visit to the friend’s house.

“I met him in my friend’s house. He told me that he had connections in the Ministry of Housing, and he could help anybody who wants a house from the Ministry in return of money,” the 55-year-old woman told prosecutors. 

“Later, I asked my friend if he said was true. She confirmed that he was honest,” she explained, before adding: “I agreed with him to pay BD 16,000 in return of his service, and the amount will be given in three instalments. I wanted to secure a house for my mother and children as they have a very old application and it hasn’t been processed.”

“I gave him BD 12,900 and then I received a call from my friend, who told me that the man was a fraud and warned me against giving him any money,” she added.

The 29-year-old man said during interrogations that he was engaged to the victim’s friend’s daughter and suddenly they demanded that he divorce her. Then the victim accused him of deceiving her after he rejected her proposal to get married to her daughter. 

“She offered me to get married to her daughter after I divorced her friend’s daughter because I was suffering from depression. I was shocked to learn that she filed a complaint against me, accusing me of pocketing her money,” the accused claimed. 

“I couldn’t get a house or an apartment for my self, how I would be able to help her?” he queried.