DUBAI // A man denied this morning knowing US dollars with which he tried to purchase cigarettes from a Dubai Duty Free shop were fake.
The defendant, AM, 39, Syrian, told the Dubai Criminal Court of First instance that he had bought US$5,000 (Dh18,000) from an exchange centre in Syria and did not know they were fake.
He said he was flying to China for business and landed in Dubai as a transit passenger.
“I was trying to buy cigarettes for my friend in China when the shop saleswoman told me the $100 bill I gave her was forged,” he said.
Prosecution charged him with possessing 48 such bills for the purposes of using them in the UAE.
AMF, a Filipina saleswoman at a Dubai Duty Free shop, testified that the defendant came to the shop on the night of January 9 and tried to buy two packs of cigarettes.
She said he handed her a $100 bill and when she examined it, she saw it was fake. AMF added that she asked the defendant to present a new bill, and he gave her another fake note.
She said she called airport security, who arrested the defendant.
The defendant’s defense lawyer told the court that a receipt from the exchange centre in Syria, which sold his client the fake dollars, proves there was no criminal intent.
A verdict is expected on March 29.
salamir@thenational.ae
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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Stars: Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie
Four out of five stars
