(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Abu Dhabi Court of Appeals upholds the sentence of seven-year jail term for an Asian woman for attempted robbery at a money exchange using a toy gun.
Abu Dhabi - A woman who was found guilty of trying to rob an Abu Dhabi money exchange with a fake plastic gun has had her seven-year jail term upheld by the appellate court on Saturday.
The Filipina was found guilty of threatening to kill the money exchange’s employees and breaching public security.
The court also upheld a two-month imprisonment term pronounced by the lower court for overstaying her residence visa. The woman will be deported after serving her sentence.
The convict was dubbed the ‘Money Exchange Ghost’ a reference to the fact that she wore a black abaya black gloves and white head-scarf when committing the crime.
The Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance had found the woman guilty in May.
The public prosecution investigation showed that the woman attempted to rob the money exchange centre after threatening employees with what turned out to be a fake plastic gun. As she threatened the employees at gunpoint and demanded money one of the employees managed to overpower her and seized the gun.
The woman confessed to have planned the crime to settle her accumulated outstanding debts.
During her trial when the judge asked her why she entered and left the exchange many times before the robbery bid — as seen in the CCTV footages — she said she went to the exchange to commit the robbery but developed cold feet. She then left but went back again after resolving to commit the crime.