Court told RTA staffer embezzled more than Dh200,000 with fake petrol refills

A Roads and Transport Authority employee embezzled money through fake receipts for petrol after being “lured by the devil”, a court was told.

The Emirati parking supervisor, 41, was given a work car and cards for fuel to be covered by the authority.

The court was told he embezzled Dh224,508 from January 2013 to August 12, 2015, when the pattern was discovered.

“The defendant joined the RTA in March 2010 and his work responsibility is to inspect and supervise paid parking inspectors, which is 80 per cent field work,” said an Emirati auditor with the authority. “Therefore, he was provided with a car to use on his field trips.”

She said that in August 2015, a colleague told her that there were mistakes on fuel receipts provided by the accused.

“We initiated an internal investigation and the defendant was questioned in the presence of his direct manager,” the auditor said.

“He admitted that he had been aided by petrol station workers who would use his fuel card to refill other cars, take the cash from these owners, then hand the cash to the defendant.”

She said that the accused admitted to paying the workers for their help. The audit report included an admission by the defendant for his wrongdoing and a plea for mercy because he was the only breadwinner for his family, including his parents, who live with him.

The report said he told auditors he was lured by the devil to steal to cover his father’s medical treatment.

But in court, he denied a charge of abusing his position and embezzling the amount with the help of unidentified men.

The next hearing is scheduled for December 17.

The report said he told auditors he was lured by the devil to steal, to cover his father’s medical treatment