DUBAI// A legal consultant conned a man out of Dh25,000 by claiming he could get an official pardon for his imprisoned sons, the criminal court heard on Monday.
Palestinian M A, denied six charges including forgery, used of forged documents and fraudulently obtaining the money from A A.
“No I didn’t forge the documents. I worked for a law firm which provided me with boxes of documents during my employment, and these documents are among them,” said M A.
Prosecutors said that he forged an arrest warrant cancellation, a deportation order cancellation, an imprisonment order cancellation, a release order, and two other documents issued by the Dubai Public Prosecution.
He is also charged with forging an employment contract, business cards and a letter attributing them to a Dubai-based law firm.
He was additionally charged with over staying his visa.
A A, a 65-year-old Egyptian, said his sons called him from jail, where they were serving four year terms for consuming hashish, to tell him that other prisoners had recommended M A’s services.
A A met with M A last August last year at the Dubai Public Prosecution building. There M A said he could acquire a pardon from the Ruler’s court for the imprisoned sons.
“He gave me his business card, which said he was a legal consultant at this law firm and asked for Dh65,000 as fees. I gave him Dh25,000 as an upfront payment and he signed a receipt for receiving the money,” said AA.
In the following days, A A called the defendant several times but he did not answer. “I called the number on the card and they told me he did not work for them and that he had conned several other people, therefore I called police,” said A A.
A A presented to police the documents that the defendant provided him with, including a letter from the law firm addressed to the Ruler’s court and another from the Ruler’s court to the law firm regarding the pardon.
Palestinian M F, 29, testified that M A had been hired to work for the Dubai law firm, but had not started the job.
“He was to become the legal consultant but when it was discovered that he had no degrees, his services were terminated,” said M F.
“I received several calls from people telling me that the defendant had conned them,” he added.
A verdict is expected on February 17.
salamir@thenational.ae