By Adnan Al-Shabrawi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — As the system of installment sale ended on Sunday, about 90 Saudi and non-Saudi women in Jeddah were sentenced to imprisonment because of their failure to pay their installments on time.

A royal decree prevented the installment sales and it was published in the official gazette making it binding from July 28.

The Executive Court sources said the women, who failed to pay their installments, were either imprisoned or had their computer services stopped.

The women were charged with signing bad checks and bills. They bought cars or electric appliances at high prices and sold them at low prices so as to obtain liquid cash.

The sources said women were mainly academicians, teachers, nurses and traders who obtained loans from banks but failed to repay them in installments.

Majed Garoub, lawyer and legal consultant, said women obtained the loans with high interest to resell their products at lower rates thus getting themselves entangled in bad debts.

He said the banks and financial companies incriminated a number of Saudi and non-Saudi men and women for not repaying installments on time.