US businessman Shahin to face new charge of leaving UAE illegally

Published Thursday, September 06, 2012

By Staff/AP

American businessman Zack Shahin will face additional charges of leaving the UAE illegally, according to Essam Al Humaidan, Dubai's attorney general.

Former CEO of Deyaar Development, Shahin has been accused of financial fraud in Dubai and was under detention for four years. He left the UAE and went to Yemen illegally where he was arrested by the border security forces and handed over to the UAE authorities.

Humaidan said Shahin will face a charge for visiting places not authorised by the Minister of the Interior in accordance with the provisions of the Immigration and Residency Act.

Shahin – who was released on $1.4 million bail in July – appeared before the court on Thursday. He spoke briefly to a member of his US-based legal team, James Jatras, at the court hearing. Jatras described his client as looking tired and thinner than he has appeared previously, but added that Shahin "indicated that he was ok."

The public prosecutor asked the court to cancel Shahin’s bail as his attempt to illegally leave the country has been proven and should be imprisoned again in accordance with the legal procedures, said a press statement issued by the Dubai Media Office of the Government of Dubai.

Jatras is in Dubai on a temporary visit and is not certified to defend Shahin before Emirati courts. He said that Shahin's local attorney did not show up at the hearing and it is unclear if he is still representing Shahin.

Shahin asked the court for an extension of his case to give him more time to arrange a defence during the short procedural hearing, Jatras said. That request was granted, and the trial was adjourned till October 4.

The Emirati lawyer could not be reached for comment.

Shahin was detained in 2008 as part of a probe into alleged embezzlement by executives at Deyaar Development. He later fled the country and was detained last month in Yemen. He was flown back to Dubai last week.

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