Vendor, cohort jailed for Dhs1.6m rental scam

Hamza M Sengendo, Staff Reporter

Two men who used bogus documents to swindle parking lots from an Emirati businessman must serve their six-month prison term and a Dhs171,000 fine.

The Asian vendor, 50, and colleague, 45, forged a tenancy contract registration certificate, logged on to a land department’s website and filled in counterfeit data indicating the vendor as the parking lots’ tenant.

They faked the signature of the Emirati businessman on the tenancy contract. They presented the documents to an economic development department and obtained a trade licence, prosecutors said on Feb.21.

They will serve six months in prison plus deportation and jointly pay a Dhs150,000 fine plus Dhs21, 000 in civil compensation to the victim. The Dubai Appeals Court has upheld the Dubai Criminal Court’s ruling.

The Emirati businessman, 47, revealed that he rented two pieces of land to an Afghan man whose contract expired later. The vendor who was the man’s friend asked to rent them and run them as paid parking lots.

“He took me to his Emirati sponsor’s office. I accepted to rent the plots to him for a period of one year and four months. One was for Dhs1.1m and the other Dhs500,000. All was to be paid by his business associate.

“On the tenancy contract, we mentioned the associate as the tenant. The trade licence was issued in his name.

“The associate gave me eight cheques each worth Dhs200,000 to be withdrawn from his personal account.”

The businessman encashed the first cheque. “When it was time to cash the second one I discovered there were no funds in the account. I went to the plots and found the vendor there. He told me the associate was sick.

“He was allegedly abroad undergoing treatment. I waited for his return. It was taking long. They stalled until I went to the land department and discovered they had counterfeited documents to illicitly use the plots.” The vendor’s Emirati sponsor testified against him.