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29 March 2024

Business dream lands Emirati woman in prison

Published
By Staff

An ambitious Emirati woman who had dreamed of becoming a businesswoman found herself in a Dubai prison instead of a spacious office after she defaulted on debt to banks as a result of deception by a friend.

Salwa Bilal, 38, had decided to enter the world of business with her friend after gaining career experience from her three-year job in a key Dubai hotel and a similar period in a local bank.

She said the business involved a tailoring workshop and that she had to travel abroad to buy equipment for the project.

“I got a bank loan and bought the needed equipment and returned home….after a while I fell ill and had to be admitted to hospital for a surgery,” she told the Dubai-based  Arabic language daily Emirat Alyoum.

“When I was out of hospital, I was surprised to learn that all the equipment and ownership documents had disappeared……I was swindled by my friend but could not do anything about it….I could not return to my job because of my illness while I had to support my family…as a result, I could no longer pay my debt, which is now around Dh140,000.”

Emirat Alyoum said Salwa hopes an interior ministry fund and benevolent people will help her pay the debt so she can regain her freedom and support her family.