Two Armenians acquitted of theft

Staff Reporter

Gulf Times, Qatar
Jan 24 2007

TWO Armenian men have been acquitted of stealing two watches worth
QR17,000 from a Doha shop on October 1 last year.

Clearing the two of the charges, the court said the testimony of the
salesman that the duo visited his shop on the day but left without
making a purchase was not enough for holding them guilty.

"When I rearranged things, I found that two watches were missing.

Later, my sponsor filed a case," he said.

The salesman told the court that the police summoned him after a few
weeks and he identified the men at a parade. He claimed that no other
customer came to the shop on that day.

Defence lawyer Hind al-Saffar said the salesman did not see the
Armenians stealing the watches and that he was only guessing.

"The accused enjoy the benefit of doubt," judge Mamon Hamour said.

The men, aged 37 and 28, said that they were jailed for 21 days and
were released only after they started a hunger strike. They told Gulf
Times that they intended to sue the state.