(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Two Italian men have been acquitted by a Doha Court of Appeal of the charges of fraud and stealing QR4mn from a Qatari man, local Arabic daily Arrayah reported.

Earlier, the court of first instance had given the duo a jail sentence of 18 months. The case goes back to when the Qatari advertised the sale of his vehicle on a social media website. Accordingly, the two defendants contacted him to see the car. Then, they came to his office to meet him.

However, after the Italians left his office the Qatari accused them of stealing a bag containing QR4mn in cash, while they were waiting in his office when he left for prayers. He claimed that he only discovered that the bag was missing after they left.

The court of the first instance convicted the two persons based on the testimony of the claimant. The two defendants did not have an adequate opportunity to fend off the charges, according to their lawyer.

Ultimately, the court of appeal abolished the sentence and acquitted them due to the lack of any solid evidence and the absence of any independent witnesses other than the claimant, the daily added.