JEDDAH, 5 February — The Court of Grievances has ordered the police department in Jeddah to pay SR18,900 in damages to an Arab expatriate for detaining him illegally for two-months. Police continued to detain the man after a lower court ordered his release following the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by his Saudi sponsor accusing him of stealing wood and equipment from a carpentry.
The lower court acquitted the expatriate after the sponsor failed to submit evidence of the alleged theft, and also ordered he be released from police custody where he was being detained. The court ruled that the police had violated the public security act, as well as the charters of arrest and detention.
The police explained that the expatriate was not released after the court order because his sponsor refused to accept responsibility for him after the acquittal. The sponsor wanted him to be deported as his residence permit had expired. The expatriate complained to the labor office that his sponsor had failed to fulfill his contractual obligations.
