DUBAI // A British chef who was banned from travelling after bouncing cheques stole his Irish friend’s passport and credit card to go home for a visit, the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours heard on Monday.
M T, 30, was at his friend B G’s house last April and stole his passport with the credit card inside while the Irishman was in the toilet.
He used the credit card to book a ticket to England and the passport to travel from Dubai International Airport on April 6.
He came back on April 14 but did not return the passport, and was arrested on May 26 with it and the credit card in his possession.
“My passport was seized by the employer and I knew that I was wanted for several financial cases due to bounced cheques,” he said.
“But I needed to see my family back home. That’s why I took the passport, and the passport control officer at the airport did not notice the passport’s picture was not mine.”
The Irishman, 26, noticed his passport was missing when he needed it on April 24 when he changed jobs.
“I looked for it in my bedroom but did not find it, so I lodged a complaint with the police,” he testified.
“Four days later I received a call from Dubai Prosecution telling me they found the passport and asking me to come in.”
He said he had known the defendant for two years but did not know he had stolen the document.
In prosecution investigations M T confessed to charges of theft and use of an official document belonging to another person.
“I am guilty on both charges,” he said in records.
Records showed he was also wanted by Dubai Police for issuing two dishonoured cheques, one to the Gloria Hotel.
He was sentenced in his absence to two months in jail followed by deportation.
salamir@thenational.ae
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Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
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Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
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Al Noor Special Needs Centre
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Beit Al Khair Society
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Dar Al Ber Society
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Dubai Cares
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Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
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Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
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1. South Africa
2. New Zealand
3. England
4. Fiji
5. Australia
6. Samoa
7. Kenya
8. Scotland
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12. Canada
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