DUBAI // A clerk who made Dh420,000 by forging insurance documents for travel companies had his 20-month prison sentence upheld at the Dubai Court of Appeal yesterday.
JN, a 28-year-old Egyptian, was convicted at Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance in May of 21 counts of forging documents, using forged documents, deceiving a public employee and unlawfully obtaining money.
The court found that between 2008 and 2009 he had taken Dh20,000 from each of 21 companies after telling them that the money was a standard fee for issuing the insurance letters required to renew their licences to operate. BG, a 28-year-old Syrian, told prosecutors that in December 2006 the Department of Tourism began requiring travel agencies to present a letter showing insurance of Dh200,000 to renew their licences.
His wife, who owned the Golden Knight Travel Agency, was approached by JN, who said he could help to issue such a letter. He said he knew senior employees at a bank who would issue the letters for Dh20,000.
A few days after their meeting, BG said JN gave him the letters, which he submitted to the Tourism Department and renewed his wife's company's licence.
BG said that three months after he got the new licence, the department called him and told him the letter was forged.
JN will be deported after his prison term.
