DUBAI // An executive director of a high-profile unit of
is charged with stealing Dh377,000 in payments meant for another company.
FS, 54, a Briton who directed a sportswear company identified in records as RC, appeared in the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance this morning to face charges of theft and forging both official and unofficial documents. He used the documents to create a fake payment order from RC to a company identified as Tanseeq for a fashion show, records said.
A 36-year-old Romanian, RA, and an Emirati, MA, 41, are charged with aiding FS in the crime.
Prosecutors said that theft occurred between April 30 and May 9, 2005.
MA denied all the charges. FS and RA were not present because prosecutors could not locate them.
"I did not participate or help the first defendant in anything, your honour," MA said, adding that all the alleged violations occurred at FS' company, to which he does not have access.
MA's defence lawyer asked the court to allow her client to deposit the amount named in the case in the court's treasury, which the court approved.
AB, the Emirati executive director for the company that directly oversaw RC, said FS was responsible for studying the offers and profits of the company. He testified that FS handled a promotion offer with Tanseeq and later submitted the payment order for Dh377,000.
"Tanseeq was supposed to throw an exhibition to promote RC's products and the money was paid in return for that," AB testified.
But later that year, RC discovered that Tanseeq never received payment. Prosecutors say FS used some of the money to carry out a promotional exhibition for a jewellery store, records show.
The next hearing will be on April 25 to summon the other two defendants.
salamir@thenational.ae
