A WOMAN convicted of "pocketing" cash from a recruiting agency client has been cleared on appeal, after missing paperwork turned up at the last minute.

The Filipina, 43, was convicted at the Lower Criminal Court of taking the cash from a Bahraini client who went to the agency where she worked, requesting a housemaid, in June 2006.

Appeal

Prosecutors said she pocketed the cash and never put in the order for a housemaid, according to court documents.

She was sentenced to one month in prison, with bail of BD30, pending appeal.

The woman denied swindling the man, but said paperwork proving her innocence had been lost.

"He came to the agency to request a housemaid and paid in advance and I took the money from him, but I didn't steal it," she said in her statement.

"I put it in the company's accounts and ordered the housemaid for him.

"But some of the papers were lost and I couldn't find them to prove my innocence."

But the papers were found just in time to clear her at a High Criminal Appeal Court hearing.

"These papers state that the cash given to her by the client was submitted to the accounts department of the company," said defence lawyer Mohammed Isa.

"They also show that she did request a housemaid." The court quashed the conviction.

noor@gdn.com.bh