Three Dubai bankers cleared of accepting Dh37 million bribe

The three bank staffers were accused of forging certificates, together with the runaway accomplice.

Three bank employees have been cleared of accepting bribes worth $10 million (around Dh37million) in return for forging bank documents (facilities and security deposits).
The three bankers, including two Pakistanis and a Filipino, were accused of sending the forged documents via e-mail to addresses given to them by a Nigerian accomplice - who is at large.
The alleged wrongdoings took place between June and November 2015.
However, the Court of First Instance has acquitted them of the charges of accepting bribes, forgery and criminal complicity. The reason behind the acquittal ruling was not immediately known.
The main accused, a 33-year-old Pakistani who is a commercial developer, was accused of forging 15 security deposits and falsely claiming they were issued by the bank. He allegedly filled the forms, signed and sealed them with the bank's stamp. The facilities given by him were for individuals and companies - which do not have any entitlements thereto.
The three bank staffers were accused of forging certificates, together with the runaway accomplice, which they falsely claimed were issued by the bank. "The main defendant would receive the details from the runaway accomplice and accordingly fill in the forged bank forms which he would then sign and seal with the bank stamp. They sent the letters to different e-mail addresses. After sending the forged documents online, they would destroy the original copy," a Lebanese manager of the bank's Dubai branch told the prosecutor.
"They were exposed on December 8, 2015, after we were contacted by our branch in South Africa. They wanted to check about a letter which was allegedly issued by our branch. But it turned out that letter was forged."
The bank's British regional manager said that the commercial developer and the Filipino accused agreed with the runaway man to forge documents and use the fake copies in return for receiving $10million. The runaway would provide them with the information and details to fill the forms with and the email addresses to which they would later send the forged documents.
The primary court verdict remains subject to appeal by the public prosecution.
mary@khaleejtimes.com  

• Dubai