Five jailed and fined over DP World bribery case

A former senior manager at DP World who sought bribes from two companies in exchange for helping them to win building projects has been fined Dh4.85 million and sent to jail for 18 months.

The Emirati woman, 29, demanded Dh500,000 from the manager of a construction company in return for granting his company the contract to build a villa in Jumeirah Heights.

She also demanded a Dh4.35m bribe from the manager of a second company for helping him to win a bid at Jebel Ali Port.

At Dubai Criminal Court yesterday, the woman, who no longer works at the port company, was convicted of seeking bribes.

The managers who paid the bribes – an Egyptian, 59, and a Jordanian, 49 – were convicted and each sentenced to a year in jail. They were also fined Dh500,000 and Dh4.35m.

A Syrian woman, 54, who also worked at DP World, was sentenced to a year in jail and a Lebanese man, 55, to three months for aiding and abetting the senior manager.

The Syrian woman, Jordanian and Lebanese defendants were also convicted of forgery and use of a forged document, which helped to enable the bribe for the port project.

The Emirati and four of the defendants were also convicted of laundering the bribed cash through another company owned by the Lebanese defendant.

The crimes occurred between 2012 and 2014 and the four expatriates will be deported after serving their sentences.