A woman has been acquitted of charges that she fraudulently obtained BD750 through a ‘jamiyah’ – a rotating savings scheme commonly used by locals to save money.
The court heard that the defendant had previously lent her CPR card to a young woman to help her complete paperwork. The woman allegedly used the card to purchase a phone line in the defendant’s name. Using the number, she reportedly used the defendant’s name and identity to operate the fraudulent jamiyah.
In a jamiyah, a group of individuals contribute an amount of money every month into a common fund, with members taking turns each month to receive the full pooled sum.
The defendant came under investigation after a man filed a complaint, alleging that she had collected BD750 from him and failed to pay him the agreed amount when his turn to receive the payout arrived.
“In 2025, I saw an advert on WhatsApp about a jamiyah, so I contacted the mobile number provided,” the victim said.
“After learning the details, I agreed to join, with the understanding that I would receive the pooled funds in December.
“I transferred varying amounts of money to the bank account connected to the number. But, when my turn came, I got nothing.”
The Public Prosecution charged the defendant with unlawfully taking money belonging to others, causing financial harm to the victim.
However, after learning that a phone line had been registered in her name without her knowledge, the defendant reported the matter to the authorities before the complaint was filed against her. The Lower Criminal Court subsequently acquitted her of all charges.
“In January 2025, she lent her CPR card to another woman to assist with university procedures,” the defence stated.
“Without her knowledge, the woman used her identity to obtain a mobile phone number.”
A letter from the defendant’s cell provider, submitted at the court’s request, confirmed that the phone number was registered in her name.
However, no documents were presented to the court identifying the ultimate beneficiary of the transactions.
“The mere fact that the number was registered in the defendant’s name does not prove that she committed the acts constituting the crime,” the Lower Criminal Court said in its ruling.
“She had already filed a police report against the person who used her identity to obtain the number and had cancelled the line before the victim lodged his complaint.
“The court sees that the evidence presented by the prosecution falls short of proving the charge, and thus is not comfortable to declare that the defendant was the one who committed the crime.
“The court doubts the veracity of the charges, and thus must rule that the defendant is innocent.”
Informal organised saving schemes like ‘jamiyahs’ are used all over the world, and are generally known as Rotating Savings and Credit Association.
In Bahrain, jamiyahs are usually run by a trusted member of the community, who manages the amounts and makes the payouts to the members. While participants do not necessarily know one another, they contribute regularly according to an agreed schedule.
In recent years, some banks have formalised the concept by introducing jamiyah-style savings tools through their mobile applications, allowing account holders to save collectively in a more structured setting.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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