ABU DHABI // An ADWEA employee accused of demanding a Dh10,000 bribe told the Criminal Court he accepted the money as Ramadan charity.
Prosecutors said AA, a Palestinian who works at the Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority [ADWEA], was caught accepting the cash bribe from the Syrian LA.
The Syrian said the ADWEA worker demanded the money in return for connecting the electricity at two projects in Khalifa City A. He informed the Palestinian's boss, MH, an Emirati, and they then carried out a sting operation in which the Palestinian accepted the money.
The Palestinian told the court he was not in charge of connecting electricity so the allegation did not make sense.
"I swear I did not do it, why would I put myself in all this trouble!" he asked the court in a tearful voice.
"When the man spoke to me he did not speak about anything except Ramadan I swear," he added, "I have a wife and three daughters at home."
His lawyer asked for an adjournment to present his case.
The case was adjourned to October 3.
hdajani@thenational.ae
