Sunday 4 February 2024
In a recent case handled by the Buraimi Court, a woman was found guilty of the misdemeanor of failing to provide a service to a consumer properly. The court sentenced her to prison and imposed a fine.
The case began when a consumer lodged a complaint with the Consumer Protection Department in Buraimi Governorate against a photography studio. The consumer had contracted with the studio to create a photo album, video, and print photos. However, the studio failed to deliver the agreed-upon products and delayed the process.
After the Consumer Protection Department intervened and communicated with the studio, the studio only provided some of the photos but failed to deliver the rest of the photos and the agreed-upon video. When questioned about the reason for the non-delivery, the studio owner claimed that the memory was damaged, resulting in the loss of photos and videos. As a result, the consumer suffered both mental and material damages.
The complaint file was then transferred to the competent court, which issued its sentence. The woman, who owned the studio, was sentenced to ten days of imprisonment and a fine of OMR 100 for the misdemeanor. Furthermore, from the civil claims’ perspective, the court ordered the studio to refund the contract value of OMR 300 to the victim and compensate her for the damage with an additional OMR 300. The studio was also required to pay the legal expenses. The court decided to suspend the criminal penalty against the studio owner if the civil rights were fulfilled within one month from the date of the ruling.
In light of this case, the Consumer Protection Authority emphasizes the importance of service providers adhering to the agreements made with consumers. They urge service providers to exercise care in delivering the service properly and in accordance with its nature.