Housemaid denies drugging granny and child

A grandmother claims she was drugged by a maid who then stole more than Dhs50,000 worth of the family’s possessions.

The Sri Lankan housemaid also allegedly drugged the woman’s young grandson so she could pocket the jewellery and cash, Dubai Court of First Instance was told on Monday.

The 31-year-old domestic worker denies robbery.

The grandmother stated in official records: “I was in the baby’s room playing with my grandson when the maid came in and stood behind me. I smelt something strange and asked her. She told me she couldn’t smell anything. That’s the last thing I remember.”

The 52-year-old added: “I woke up about 30 minutes later and the baby was asleep too. Money and jewellery had gone and so had the housemaid.”

The court was told how the Sri Lankan had placed an advert in a newspaper offering her services.

The boy’s father responded to the advert. He said: “She told me she was on another sponsor’s visa but would be able to sort it out soon so we hired her. She started work the next day and I left the house with my wife.

She stayed with my wife’s mother and our little boy.”

The maid is charged with robbing Dhs34,000 worth of goods and Dhs18,000 in cash from the Indian family who lived in Al Quasis.

Dubai Police arrested the defendant three months after the alleged crime and the stolen goods were recovered.

An Emirati policeman said in official records that the maid had admitted to carrying out similar types of robberies before.

The officer said: “She used some kind of drug on her victims. She had carried out a similar robbery on a family in Refaa, Dubai.” The case was adjourned until later this month.

ali.shouk@7days.ae