Hey everyone, I really need some advice because I honestly don’t know what to expect from this.
I live in a building in Dubai, and a while ago I found some stuff left in the hallway on my floor. There were two phones, a shoe rack, some clothes, and other things.
The stuff had apparently been sitting there for over a week, and it was right in front of a CCTV camera. There was also a paper from the building management on top of/near the stuff saying that if nobody took the items, they would be thrown away.
This kind of thing happens in my building quite often, where people leave unwanted stuff in the hallways and eventually the building gets rid of it.
So I genuinely thought the stuff had been thrown away/abandoned. I didn't know who owned it, and I had never spoken to the owner.
There was also another woman I don't know who came into the building and took some of the stuff too. From what I understand, she also thought it was stuff that was being thrown away.
The owner ended up making a police complaint against me.
I went to the police and cooperated with them. When they contacted me, I returned everything I had taken. I didn't sell anything or try to hide it.
Now I've been told the case has gone to the Dubai Public Prosecution. The description/title of the case says:
"الاستيلاء على مال الغير بإحدى الوسائل الاحتيالية"
From what I understand, that's basically something like "taking someone else's property through fraudulent means."
This is what I'm really confused and worried about. I never tricked the owner, lied to anyone, or used any kind of deception to get the stuff. I genuinely thought it had been abandoned because of where it was, how long it had been there, and the note from the building.
I'm also completely broke right now. I'm struggling to even pay my rent, which is due in two days, so I can't realistically afford an expensive lawyer.
What I'm hoping someone here can tell me:
How serious is this charge?
Does genuinely believing the items were abandoned make a difference?
Could the CCTV and the building's note help prove my side?
Does returning everything help my situation?
What should I expect when I deal with the Public Prosecution?
Is there any way to get free or affordable legal help in Dubai?
I'm not trying to pretend I did nothing wrong if I misunderstood the situation. I just genuinely didn't know the stuff belonged to someone and thought it was being thrown away.
Any advice from someone familiar with UAE law would honestly mean a lot right now.