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5 in dock over Dh6,000 driving test bribery

39-year-old Omani inspector allegedly collected money to help student pass driving test

A driving inspector stood trial on Wednesday at the Court of First Instance for allegedly demanding and collecting a Dh6,000 bribe from an Indian electrician for helping him pass a driving test.
The 39-year-old inspector from Oman allegedly collected the money through three other men (two Pakistani driving instructors, aged 49 and 29, and another accused on the run).
The two Pakistani instructors, the 35-year-old Indian electrician and the runaway accomplice (nationality unknown), have all been charged with criminal complicity.
The incident allegedly took place on April 4 and was reported to the Bur Dubai police.
A police lieutenant said they arrested the accused after they learnt from a man (not the electrician on trial) that he was asked to pay Dh8,000 to an instructor for passing the driving test.
"When we caught that instructor, he said he was to give the money to his colleague. The latter said it would go to another man (the runaway), who would then give it to the Omani," the officer told the prosecutor.
The instructor's colleague reportedly admitted to the police he was to get Dh500 from the money. He also said he was to receive Dh5,000 from another driving test applicant (the electrician in the present case).
The police arrested the two Pakistanis from Al Quoz industrial area after one of them paid the other the money.
The electrician was apprehended right after he exited a driving institute with his 'passed' result.
"The electrician said he had failed the test for three consecutive times. He was then told by one of the instructors on trial he should pay an amount of money to pass," the lieutenant told the prosecutor.
He claimed he paid one of the instructors Dh1,000 prior to taking the test and Dh5,000 after obtaining the positive result.
The hearing has been adjourned to October 23.
mary@khaleejtimes.com