Over 1,300 held for begging last year

MUSCAT, APRIL 14 - As many as 1,388 people were arrested for begging in different governorates in the Sultanate in 2018, figures from the ministry of social development reveal. Of the total number of arrests made by the anti-begging teams, the number of expatriate beggars stood at 1,276, while nationals reached 112 in the same year. A sum of RO 30,829,191 was also recovered from their possession. While majority of the expat begging arrests were made in Dhofar with 356 cases, only one Omani national was held in the governorate. The capital city of Muscat registered 344 cases, while Al Seeb and Al Buraimi had 341 and 56 cases, respectively. According to the ministry, 489 expatriate beggars were found to have individual sponsors. The anti-begging law in the Sultanate stipulates that if anyone found begging in public or in private places can be punished with a jail term of not less than one month and not exceeding one year. Simultaneously, there can also be a fine of not less than RO 50 and not more than RO 100. In the case of the beggar being a foreign national, he/she will be deported from the country.