Ex-Nakheel staff faces charges of bribe-taking

Nakheel, the real estate arm of Dubai World, yesterday confirmed that authorities are interrogating a former staff on charges of bribery.

"A former employee is being interviewed by authorities in relation to acceptance of inducements from third parties. No other members of staff are being interviewed and it would be inappropriate to comment further on this issue," a Nakheel statement said yesterday.

The employee in question resigned from Nakheel a month before this issue arose, the spokesperson said.

"The company regularly conducts internal audits as part of its commitment to transparent corporate governance process. The audit is conducted in each department and irregularities, if any, are reported to the authorities," Nakheel CEO Chris O'Donnell, who is conducting a roadshow in the US to promote Nakheel projects, told Emirates Business.

The comment came after media reports said Karim Masaad, international sales manager for Nakheel, is being questioned by Dubai Public Prosecution amid a widening anti-corruption crackdown. Masaad is being held in Dubai, officials told Zawya Dow Jones.

Last week, the firm said one of its employees was being questioned on suspicion of bribe-taking. This followed a report in Middle East Economic Digest, which said Walid Al Jaziri, Nakheel's General Manager for Sales, was being investigated for financial irregularities.