PRO stands trial for ‘embezzling Dh18.2M from Dubai bakery’
dubai — A 50-year-old Syrian man, who was in charge of clearing government transactions for a bakery, allegedly misused a power of attorney to embezzle Dh18.2 million from his workplace. He was charged at a Dubai court on Sunday.
The PRO, who is currently jailed at the central prison, denied charges of forgery and fraud, along with his 33-year-old compatriot. They were accused of faking the seal of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation and forging documents, letters, bank security deposits and receipts.
According to public prosecution records, the PRO’s aim was to cover up his manipulation of the bakery’s bank account. He used the forged papers by presenting them to the complainant, the German owner of the bakery, to mislead him as he checked the bakery’s transactions.
Two Indian employees, aged 56 and 32, were charged for aiding and abetting the forgery and fraud. The four men faced at the Court of First Instance charges of using a fake government department’s seal, forgery, and use of forged official and unofficial documents, breach of trust, embezzlement and criminal complicity.
The case dates back to November 16, 2017. It was registered at Al Rafaa Police Station.
The 70-year-old complainant, who is also the general manager of the bakery, said the main defendant had a special power of attorney to clear transactions at government departments, including the customs and the Department of Economic Development.
“The internal auditor informed me about discrepancies in our books. I told him to check the accounting records.”
When the PRO brought him documents and a statement presumably showing the deposit of the amounts in the bakery’s bank account, the owner did not feel reassured.
The complainant hired an auditing services firm and later a legal accounting office to examine their books. They then discovered that the PRO had tampered with the bakery’s bank accounts and embezzled Dh18.2 million with the help of his accomplices.
The next hearing is set for December 11.