Five years in jail for Dubai official involved in Dh29.7m fraud

The long serving Dubai Public Prosecution official was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison.

DUBAI // A Public Prosecution official who took part in a Dh29.7 million fraud was yesterday sentenced to five years in prison.

MB, 38, an Emirati former secretary to the Chief Cassation Prosecutor, belonged to a group of six people who defrauded a Palestinian businessman, Samer Al Sadek, 33.

They tricked Mr Al Sadek into a series of illegitimate business deals by promising they could use their contacts to guarantee great profits.

The group claimed to have influence in high places, with various members claiming close links to Government ministers, Royal Family members, high-ranking legal figures and bank officials, and said they could use this influence to ensure the businesses were successful.

Mr Al Sadek engaged them in deals from 2007 onwards. By May 2009 the group owed him Dh29.7million, so he reported them to police.

Some of the group responded by threatening him. One of them told Mr Al Sadek he would be sexually assaulted, while another threatened to "chop him up, put the pieces in bags and dump them in Dubai Creek for the fish to eat".

MB and the other five defendants, MG, 51, a Palestinian businessman, his wife MZ, 40, who worked at the Commercial Bank of Dubai; MO, 45, a Palestinian and IZ, 31, who worked at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, and a student, MA, 26, were found guilty of fraud, embezzlement of Dh29.7m, impersonating public officials, forgery and issuing murder threats.

The Criminal Court sentenced MB and MG to five years in prison, with MG to be deported after serving his jail term.

The rest of the group were sentenced to one year in prison and will also be deported after serving their terms.

The court ordered all six to pay temporary compensation of Dh21,000 to Mr Al Sadek and ordered that the verdict be published in an official gazette.