DUBAI // An officer at the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department took bribes to falsify computer records to show that a number of visit-visa holders had left the country.
Dubai Criminal Court heard that the Emirati, 31, who was stationed at Dubai International Airport, changed the status of 68 people and pocketed Dh271,900 for doing so during October last year and before that date.
He also took Dh10,000 from a man to cancel Dh103,900 in fines for overstaying his visa and another Dh53,000 in return for cancelling exit fees for 10 people.
The defendant is charged with abusing his post, unlawfully obtaining cash, forgery, use of forged documents, asking and accepting bribes. He denied all of the charges.
He was arrested after the DNRD received a tip-off. A departmental investigation found that he had been taking Dh500-Dh2,000 for each application he would falsify.
The defendant told prosecutors that a Yemeni man who works for the DNRD first suggested the scheme.
As he was being interrogated, he received a WhatsApp message asking him to falsify the visa status of a man in return for Dh6,000.
The next hearing will be on July 16.
salamir@thenational.ae
