Business & Money | Thursday 9 July, 2015 2:07 am |

Pure Gold Jewellers has contributed to the release of 100 debt laden prisoners in Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah jails during Ramadan this year. An amount of AED 300,000 was used to pay off the inmates' debts or buy them air tickets to go home. The repatriated prisoners are of various nationalities including those from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, etc.

One of the insolvent prisoners from Sharjah Central jail was sentenced to serve six years in prison but had to serve three years more due to his inability to pay the court fines and his debts. The Indian prisoner was recommended by Colonel Arif Al Sharif, Director of Sharjah Prison, as he was found to be a very affable person who regretted his actions that led him into heavy debt. Being the sole bread winner of a family of 12 members, his family was in a tough situation as there was no one else to support them and neither did they have the resources to secure his freedom. After nine years of serving his sentence, he is now released on the clearance of his debts amounting to AED 100,000. 

Firoz Merchant, Chairman, Pure Gold Jewellers of Pure Gold Jewellers, says, “We support those who have been jailed because they were in debt after borrowing money to fund various expenses like healthcare, education or those who are in prison due to bounced cheques for business dealings. We do not select the prisoners, the Directorate General of the prisons sends us their recommendations and we just pay off their debts.”

Merchant was inspired to start the programme in 2011 when he became aware of the plight of debt laden prisoners that had increased during the economic downturn.  

Merchant adds, “Ramadan is a month of giving so I wanted to renew our efforts again during this time to reach out to those in need of a helping hand.  Our aim is to give someone a second chance to live in freedom and happiness.”