Businessman in dock for embezzling Dh530,000

dubai — A businessman has gone on trial at a Dubai court for allegedly embezzling Dh530,000 from an enterprise after forging leasing contracts of a warehouse. According to public prosecution records, the 61-year-old Emirati man, who owns a realty firm, used forged tenancy contracts and an invalid power of attorney — which he claimed was given to him by the real owner — to embezzle the money.

The case dates back to 2013, but a complaint was lodged at the Bur Dubai police station this year. Prosecutors accused the businessman of obtaining printouts of four forged Ejari certificates. He then sent an employee to hand over the documents to the commercial enterprise to lease the warehouse to them in Al Quoz.

He instructed his employee, who was unaware of the forgery, to use the power of attorney.

The businessman has been charged at the Court of First Instance with fraud and embezzlement, aiding and abetting in the forgery of electronic documents and forgery of unofficial documents.

The 62-year-old Emirati complainant, a retiree, said he had given a power of attorney to the defendant to use the land (where the warehouse was built) and invest it as he saw fit. “I cancelled it in October 2006 and a Dubai Courts bailiff notified him. I had an agreement with the accused to register it in his name, which did not happen. It was still in my name and I was worried he might misuse it and I would then be held legally accountable for any bounced cheques, fines or any other bad business commitments.”

The complainant told the prosecutor he learned later that the defendant had leased the land and signed many contracts in his name. “Since all the contracts were in my name, that makes me liable before the tenant and causes me a lot of damage. I am unaware if he had also made other business dealings by using the old and invalid power of attorney.”