Man blames brother for bad cheques

DUBAI // A businessman accused of writing bad cheques worth nearly Dh40,000 told a court yesterday his brother was responsible.

SA, from India, claimed his sibling, LA, signed the cheques in the name of their organisation, making them out to Oman Insurance Company.

Prosecutors say the insurance company tried to cash the cheques, worth Dh39,603, between May 22 and August 22 last year. When they bounced, a police case was opened.

SA was arrested on April 28 and told police the signature on the cheques was not his. Dubai Court of Misdemeanours yesterday issued a warrant for LA's arrest.

SA told the judge his brother had left the country. His lawyer, Hussain Al Banai, asked the court to have a forensic handwriting expert compare the signatures of the two men. The judge turned down the request on the ground that both men needed to be present for the test to be valid.

"My client, your honour, has maintained throughout investigations by police and the Public Prosecutor's office that it was his brother who was the signatory on the cheques. We would like the court to locate him and bring him to justice," the lawyer said.

The court adjourned the hearing to July 26.

amustafa@thenational.ae