Prospective tenant conned out of Dh2,000

A jobless man and an investor allegedly forged a property ownership certificate and conned an Egyptian of Dh2,000, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

An unemployed Pakistani, SA, 26; and investor SKS, 37, are accused of taking photocopies of the original certificate of Flat No.2608 at Al Sadaf building in Dubai Marina. They changed information of the flat’s owner and conned the prospective tennant.

They are also accused emailing the forged photocopies to the victim - Kamel Mohammed and pocketing Dh2,000 by claiming to be property brokers and placing an advertisement on one of the websites about a flat avilable on rent.

The first accused's mobile number was also published; he is also accused of accompanying the victim to the flat and swindling him.

Kamel Mohammed, an accountant, 31, testified that in May 2010 he saw an ad  the website and contacted the number given. “I found three flats in Jumeirah Beach Residence for Dh80,000 annual rent. I spoke to SA and agreed to rent one of the flats. I saw the flat the following day and handed over Dh2,000 as lease deposit. He sent me by email the documents of the flat but a few lines on the documents were not clear. So I asked him for a copy of his residency visa, to which he replied he does not have his passport because it was in the locker and only his wife, who is out of the country, could access it.  

"Chekcing with the director of the property company I found out that the documents been sent to me were forged and that the flat was owned by Aref Rahimove. So I filed a police complaint."

Police arrested the two and confiscated computers that had documents of a number of flats and lease contracts in addition to photocopies of passports.

The case is adjourned until November 29.

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