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29 March 2024

DIB embezzlement case suspects denied bail

Seven men are accused of embezzling Dh1.8m from Dubai Islamic Bank. Picture used for illustrative purposes only. (FILE)

Published
By Eman Al Baik

The Dubai Criminal Court has refused bail to the seven accused of embezzling Dh1.8 billion from Dubai Islamic Bank and adjourned the case until December 1 to hear testimonies of witnesses upon the request of the defence lawyers.

The seven accused are two of the bank’s employees, Pakistanis UH, 29, former financing department manager and RU, 50, deputy, three British businessmen CM, 48, RL, 54, and AF, 58, and two fugitives ZU, American and AI, Turk, AI, 36.

In the previous hearing the five accused had denied the accusation and in this hearing the defence lawyers asked for bail despite the fact that the Court’s Presiding judge Fahmi Munir has asked them in the previous hearing not to make such a request to the court.

After sending Dubai Islamic Bank’s Dh 1.8bn embezzlement case to the Dubai Public Prosecution for re-investigation, the Dubai Criminal Court resumed hearing the case and five of the seven accused denied their renewed charges.

According to the accusation sheet, the seven were accused of embezzling money of Dubai Islamic Bank and deliberately helping others to embezzle public funds, causing intentional loss to the government and its interests, making illegal profits and forging and using forged unofficial documents.

The bank’s former employees UH and RU were also accused of intentionally allowing the American, ZU to embezzle $2m (Dh7.36m).  UH and his deputy RU denied abusing their public service and deliberately helping four of the accused to embezzle Dh1.8 billion.

The Prosecution has also accused UH and RU with taking bribes worth $750,000 and $950,000, respectively, against forged documents and bogus receipts, which were provided by the five other suspects to bank.

The defence lawyers including Dr Habib Al Mulla, Abdul Aziz Al Matroushi, Salah Beloushi, Yousuf Ali and Samira Gargash defended that the documents used to file the accusation were bogus and forged and asked to her the testimonies of the affirmative witnesses.