RTA employee jailed in fake petrol receipts scam

Man 'lured by the devil' embezzles more than Dh224,000 after being from Dubai transport authority

A government employee who claimed he was “lured by the devil” to embezzle Dh225,000 using fake receipts for petrol has had his prison sentence reduced.

The Emirati parking supervisor, 41, was given a company car and a fuel card when he began working for Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority in March 2010.

"He was responsible for inspecting and supervising paid parking inspectors, which is 80 per cent field work," said an Emirati auditor with the authority. "Therefore, he was provided with a car to use on his field trips."
In August 2015, it was discovered that there were mistakes on the petrol receipts the accused submitted for reimbursement.

The RTA launched an internal investigation and found that he had been submitting incorrect receipts from January 2013.

"[The accused] admitted that he struck an agreement with petrol station workers to use his fuel card to refill other cars, take the cash from these owners, then hand him the cash," said the auditor.
The audit report included a signed admission by the accused and a plea for mercy because he was the only breadwinner for his family, including his parents, who live with him.
The report said he told auditors he was lured by the devil to steal the money to pay for his father's medical treatment.

Dubai Criminal Court sentenced the man to six months in prison and ordered him to pay the amount of money he embezzled between January 2013 to August 12, 2015.
At Dubai Court of Appeal on Tuesday, his prison sentence was reduced to three months and a fine of Dh224,508.