Crime by women in Dubai doubles in a decade

Crime by women have nearly doubled in the past 10 years, a decade which also saw a change in the role of women from being just a partner in crime to lpaying the mastermind.

Earlier, the role of women in crime was confined to helping men. Now, women are committing premeditated murders, said Lt. Colonel Fawzia Al Mulla, director of the Dubai Women's Prison.

Lt. Colonel Fawzia said: “There are 300 women prisoners in Dubai Women’s Prison and this means that 3,000 families have been affected by their incarceration, considering that the number of people affected are 10 times the number of women in prison.”

She added: “In the 80s and 90s, it was rare to find a woman involved in a murder, but now there are 10 murders by women in a year.”

She disclosed: “Two women currently in jail committed a horrible crime against one of their friends who was from the former Soviet Union. Not only did the women kill their friend but they also poured oil and set her body on fire and hid it in another emirate."

Lt. Colonel Fawzia added: “They carried out their act and then had sex with an Arab friend who had helped the women in their crime.”

Businesswomen in prison

She added, “In the past it was difficult to accuse a woman of issuing a bad cheque.  But now, women are involved in economic crimes too, particularly after women entered business and the stock market.”

Lt. Colonel Fawzia confirmed that poverty was never a reason to commit a financial crime. There are crimes of bribery committed by employees in senior positions who are comfortable financially.

She added, “Poverty can be a reason to commit a misdemeanor robbery or a trivial theft from a car. In Dubai, there are women prisoners involved in crimes of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.”

Lt. Colonel Fawzia pointed to the involvement of highly educated and well-qualified women in financial crimes such as fraud and issuing of bad cheques, drug-related offences, driving under the influence of alcohol and taking part and managing prostitution.”

The involvement of women in crime was mainly because of financial and emotional reasons.

A committee formed by a decree of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has been solving several cases where women continue to languish in jails long after their deportation date due to financial reasons. “Five African women prisoners infected by AIDS have been released on humanitarian grounds. There are three other HIV-infected women prisoners from the former Soviet Union who are being treated at the Quarantine Centre.”

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