Tourism official pocketed Dh90,000 fee, court told

DUBAI // An Emirati executive accused of embezzling Dh90,000 from Dubai's Tourism Department failed to show up in court this morning.

The Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance was told that the 26-year-old AA abused his powers and unlawfully took Dh90,000 given to him in fees for renewing a temporary permit for a hotel's entertainment tent.

AA is charged with forgery of official documents, use of forged documents and fraudulently obtaining funds from his employer.

Prosecutors said the money changed hands on May 17, 2009. AA issued an unofficial receipt using letterhead and a stamp from the department, which prosecutors say he gave to MA, a hotel representative.

The permit was dated May 17 to November 12, 2009, records show.

MK, a 45-year-old manager at the Department of Tourism, said that when he returned from annual leave he learned that MK, a representative of Jumeirah International Group, was complaining that inspectors visited the tent and told him the permit was not legitimate, records show.

MK said he investigated in the matter and discovered the embezzlement.

The next hearing was scheduled for June.

salamir@thenational.ae