The Court of First Instance – Misdemeanors (Various) Circuit 3 acquitted three female employees working at an animal care company of charges of embezzlement, manipulation of company funds, and causing harm to its financial accounts, due to insufficient evidence against them. The court also rejected the civil claim filed against the employees.
The Public Prosecution had referred the three women to criminal trial on the grounds that, in their capacity as employees of an animal care company, they attempted to harm the company’s operations and achieved their objective by deleting and destroying data from the company’s accounting system, including cash sales records and company invoices. The prosecution requested their punishment under Article 334 of the Commercial Companies Law.
The complainant had filed a criminal report against them, alleging that the accused had embezzled company funds, manipulated accounts, deleted data from the company’s system, and breached trust. It was claimed that they had committed financial violations and irregularities, which were detected through an audit of the accounting system.
The company claimed that it had suffered losses amounting to QAR 800,000, and the complainant requested that legal action be taken against them.
Attorney Noora Sarhan, the legal representative of the three employees, submitted a legal memorandum supported by evidence and documentation proving their innocence of the charges brought against them. She also requested the appointment of a financial expert in the case.
An interlocutory judgment was issued appointing a specialized accounting expert in corporate matters. In his report submitted to the court, he stated that the accused and the affected company were bound by a formal contractual relationship, that each of them held an administrative position, and that they had defined authorities.
Article 334 of the Commercial Companies Law stipulates that any chairman, board member, or employee of a company who discloses company secrets, intentionally attempts to harm its activities, or has a direct or indirect interest with any party engaged in transactions intended to influence the prices of securities issued by the company, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years and/or a fine not exceeding one million Qatari Riyals.
In her memorandum, Attorney Noora Sarhan stated that, according to the rulings of the Court of Cassation, the presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle of the accusatory system. It is a rule imposed by the nature of things, required by procedural legality, and essential for protecting individuals against arbitrariness, domination, and bias. Accordingly, no criminal act may be deemed proven without clear, decisive evidence that reaches the level of certainty and leaves no room for doubt or suspicion regarding the absence of the charge.
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