3 Asians in the dock for bribery

Mohammad Yaseen, Staff Reporter

The Dubai Public Prosecution referred to the Criminal Court three Asians on charges of offering a bribe of Dhs110,000 to the director of a branch of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), in return for reconnecting electricity and water to 9 villas. The services were cut off due to a violation issued by Dubai Municipality, in addition to financial obligations concerning consumption in favour of Dewa.

One of the three suspects working in the field of renting villas from owners, also promised a manager in Dewa, through the other suspects and another unknown, to hand him Dhs110,000 to reconnect the electricity and water services to 11 accounts. The suspects agreed to hand him Dhs20,000 at the start.  According to the interrogations, the first suspect took advantage of knowing an employee at Dewa to communicate with the official responsible for the restoration of water and electricity services.

He also provided him with the villas’ numbers and consumer accounts, conniving with the second suspect, for a commission of Dhs12,000.

Investigations indicated that the first and second suspects received Dhs32,000 from the third. They met the employee at a coffee shop in a mall and handed him Dhs20,000 for reconnecting water and electricity services for two of the 11 accounts. They reportedly got Dhs12,000 as a commission.

A police lieutenant testified that he had received information from an employee at Dewa alerting that a person he knew, the first suspect, offered him a bribe to reconnect electricity and water services to 11 houses. The witness added the investigation team had identified him after investigations.

The witness added that after obtaining permit of the prosecution, they set a trap and recorded the meeting between the first suspect and the employee. When the suspect handed over the bribe to the employee, the police arrested them. The first and second suspects confessed to the charges, and the third defendant admitted he had handed over Dhs32,000 to the suspects to reconnect services to the villas illegally.

In another development, an Arab salesman, 20, tried indecently assaulting a 17-year-old GCC girl, taking advantage of her being alone with him in one of the Global Village shops.

The case dates back to April 2018, on the last day of the Global Village activities.

According to the victim’s testimony, the suspect attempted to sell the victim a book and when she asked about the price, he tried to hold her hands and asked to hug her. She ran away from the shop and informed the police.