Nightclub owner’s friend accused of offering bribes for inspector to ignore offences

Syrian denies that he offered bribes of up to Dh15,000 over a prolonged period if a government inspector ignored what was going on in two nightclubs in Deira.

DUBAI // The friend of a man who owns two nightclubs has denied offering bribes worth Dh15,000 to a government inspector to turn a blind eye to any offences in the establishments.

Dubai Criminal Court heard that Syrian Z A, 47, spent from November until February trying to persuade Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing inspector B A, 28, to accept cash to ignore any offences at the clubs in Deira.

Prosecutors said that during interrogations the defendant confessed willingly, yet he denied the charge in court on Tuesday.

The inspector said it was his job to look into breaches of nightclub regulations and gave several examples of what would constitute a breach.

He said some nightclubs had been found to allow men in traditional Emirati attire to dance; some allow dancers to mingle with customers and open bottles for them; and some even allow dancers to strip to their underwear.

“The fine for any of these breaches would be between Dh10,000 and Dh50,0000,” the inspector said.

He added that fines of between Dh20,000 and Dh40,000 were imposed on one of the nightclubs owned by the defendant’s friend.

“In November last year he followed me when I left the club and asked to meet me in Ajman or Sharjah, saying that there would be a benefit for me in this meeting,” the inspector said.

B A told his supervisor and was advised to play along. He said he met the defendant in December and Z A gave him a list with the names of the nightclubs and said that should he find any of them to be in breach of regulations, he should leave and Z A would follow him and give him Dh10,000 for one offence and Dh15,000 if there were two.

“He also told me that I would keep receiving bribes for a year or two,” testified B A, who cooperated with police and prosecution for the Syrian to be arrested in a sting operation on February 11, when a bribe was exchanged.

The next hearing will be later in May.