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Businessman offers Dh110,000 bribe to Dewa staff for restoring power

Dubai - Two Indians, a visitor and a domestic helper, in their 30s, are accused of brokering the bribery.

A Bangladeshi businessman faced trial at the Dubai Court of First Instance after he allegedly offered Dh110,000 worth of a bribe to an employee at the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa).
Prosecutors accused the 36-year-old businessman of offering the bribe to the manager in return for reconnecting power and water services to 11 villas across Dubai.
Two Indians, a visitor and a domestic helper, in their 30s, are accused of brokering the bribery.
According to public prosecution records, the disconnection happened over violations of the Dubai Municipality's regulations and in other instances over unpaid bills.  
The incident happened on March 25 and 26 and it also dated back to one week before that.
A police lieutenant told the prosecutor that they were tipped-off by a Dewa employee about an Indian man's attempted bribe.
"We learned the defendant had rented more than 10 houses for investment. The Dubai Municipality's regulations were breached and thus Dewa disconnected the power and water because he would rent the house to many families."
The lieutenant added their information was that the Indian accused solicited the employee's help in restoring the utilities and he offered to pay him Dh145,000 for his favour.  
The defendant kept in touch with the employee and sent him a list of the account numbers of nine villas.
The police caught the two accomplices red-handed in a sting operation following a meeting at a café with the employee on March 26.
The trial has been adjourned to July 10.
mary@khaleejtimes.com