Man stands trial for fraud, visa forgery

dubai — A Pakistani man has been charged with duping two of his countrymen of Dh15,000 after falsely claiming he was a hotel manager and he could have employment visas issued for their relatives.

The 43-year-old accused denied forgery and fraud charges in the Court of First Instance.

The defendant allegedly managed to get the complainants into paying him the money through a mediator at a hotel which he claimed he worked. He told them that he was planning to open a new branch.

According to the public prosecution records, the defendant forged entry permits and falsely attributed them to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners’ Affairs (GDRFA).

He sent the forged documents to the two complainants via the intermediary. The case dates back to April and was reported to Lahbab police station.

The first complainant, a 28-yearold bird trainer from Pakistan, said that in April he met a friend who told him he could have employment visas issued for him through someone (the mediator). “He said he could have visas issued for any of my relatives for Dh5,000 per visa. I gave him Dh10,000 to get me two visas for two relatives. After the visas were sent to my relatives in Pakistan, it transpired they were fake after checking with the authorities concerned,” the complainant told the prosecutor.

“I got the copies of the visas on WhatsApp and I learned from the GDRFA they were fake. I knew then I had fallen victim to fraud and I asked the man who acted as the link between us and the defendant, to give me back my money. As he kept telling me to wait, I filed a complaint.”

The second complainant, a 29 year-old Pakistani camel shepherd, recounted during the investigation how he paid that person Dh5,000 after he was told he could obtain visa for a relative.