Man accused of theft during fire chaos found not guilty by Bahrain court

TDT | Manama              

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

A man accused of stealing money from his roommates during a chaotic fire incident has been acquitted by the High Criminal Court of Bahrain, citing insufficient evidence.

The accused faced allegations of exploiting the chaos caused by a fire in their shared apartment to steal BD700 and other valuables placed inside a box by two of his roommates. The accusers asserted that the man was fully aware of the contents of the box placed in the room.

Court documents reveal that the trio in question were colleagues employed by the same company. Incidents leading to the case started with a fire erupting in their shared accommodation while the defendant was present inside the room. His roommates had to forcibly break down the door in order to rescue him from the blazing inferno.

The gravity of the situation intensified as investigators from the General Directorate of Civil Defence, examining the incident, concluded that the fire was not accidental but a deliberate act of arson.

During the subsequent legal proceedings, the roommates accused the man of stealing money from their box. They claimed that the pilfered box contained not only currency but also various valuable possessions. "He was aware of the box, and he knew the things that were inside," one of his roommates told prosecutors.

However, an eyewitness emerged to present a contrasting account. This individual, who held a supervisory position within the company, confirmed seeing the complainants recover a box with cash amid the fire incident. "I personally observed them opening the box and safely removing the money and their personal belongings." Accepting the testimony, judges ruled the man not guilty, also citing his failure to produce enough evidence to prove the theft claim.

If the accused individual was found guilty of these charges, he could potentially face a prison sentence ranging from 3 to 5 years within the Kingdom.