Eight sentenced to jail term for Dh4.5m embezzlement

dubai — A former administrative officer at an authority that supplies power service and utilities to residents in Dubai has been found guilty, together with seven other accomplices, of embezzling Dh4.5 million worth of security deposits.

In one count, the 41-year-old ex-Nepalese employee, who is currently at large, abused his position, which included duties like receiving and replying to applications from customers to recover their deposits.

According to public prosecution records, the runaway man leaked the data and account numbers for as many as 1,976 transactions pertaining to individuals and institutions to a compatriot businessman.

In addition to revealing to his accomplice the amounts of money deposited by the customers, the employee also provided him with documented copies of those transactions.

He also gave him copies of other documents like passports and identity cards.

The discrepancies date back from 2014 up to March 2018. A case was registered at Al Rafaa police station.

Seven other men — four Nepalese and three Indians, aged between 32 and 38 — were all convicted in the same case by the Court of First Instance of

dh2.1m

Was siphoned off by misusing customer details in one case

aiding and abetting in abusing the former employee’s position to embezzle money and of other crimes as well.

In another count, the former employee, together with a 34-year-old Nepalese guard, siphoned off more than Dh2.1 million by misusing data and account numbers of customers in as many as 2,477 transactions.

The main defendant, who was also found guilty of other counts of embezzlement with accomplices, using the same criminal methods, has been sentenced to three years in jail.

The court that convicted him of the charges of embezzlement, breach of trust, abuse of power, forgery and use of forged documents, and gaining unlawful access to an E-system, ordered him to pay a fine of Dh4,542,432, jointly with the other defendants.

The seven other accomplices received a three-year imprisonment term each. They will all be deported upon completion of their jail terms as per the court ruling.

The accused have the right to appeal the conviction verdict within 15 days from the issuance date.