Trio embezzle Dhs1 million from workplace

Amir Al Sonny, Staff Reporter

The Criminal Court in Khorfakkan on Monday postponed a case, in which three employees working for the Khorfakkan Traffic Department have been charged with financial embezzlement until next week.

According to the police records, the suspects had been arrested after the concerned authorities were alerted about financial misappropriation committed by them in their workplace. Through the investigation, it was found out that the three defendants had been renewing vehicles’ licences for three years and keeping the renewal charges for themselves. They did not deposit those sums throughout three years, the court heard.

The three defendants reportedly manipulated the transactions completed by them on the system taking advantage of their position. Being authorised users to the traffic system, they processed transactions completed by them through licence cancellation instead of renewal in order to evade payment. They were able to make money amounting to one million dirhams, during that period. Consequently, the Public Prosecution ordered to refer them to the Criminal Court on the charge of dishonesty. 

The Khorfakkan Court held several hearings during which it heard a report from computer experts commissioned by the Court who confirmed that the process of financial misappropriation was carried out on the computer of the major defendant. The Court also heard the defence witnesses. Earlier, the Court of Appeal in Fujairah looked into the case of a young man, Khaleeji, who had been sentenced to two years in jail over the conviction in a drug case.

According to the police records, the convict had been arrested after a syringe containing a psychotropic substance was found behind the back seat of his car. The car had been impounded due to the traffic violation that he committed.

The defendant’s lawyer, Fatima Al Ali, filed a plea before the Court, arguing that the defendant had been convicted in a traffic case, but after eight months of the judgment, he was surprised to be arrested in another case that was related to the traffic case. The lawyer wondered, “How come after eight months of the traffic case, the charge of possessing psychotropic substances came up, however the impounded vehicle had been already searched before proceeding with the impoundment, while he was not present during the search of the vehicle?”

She pointed out that the accusation must be linked to the traffic case, so she requested acquittal to the defendant. Earlier, the Fujairah Misdemeanour Court heard the case of an Arab girl accused of impersonating another and posting a photo of a lawyer on social media.