Housewife 'forged' husband's signature for work permit

A woman is charged with forging her husband's signature on work documents.

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DUBAI // An expatriate housewife forged her imprisoned husband's signature to obtain an employment permit, a court has heard

ST, 29, a Russian, was charged on Monday in the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance with forging a no-objection certificate and presenting it to the Ministry of Labour.

The charges were brought after ST's husband, AH, 41, from Saudi Arabia, filed a complaint against her.

"I was surprised when I discovered that my wife was working," AH told prosecutors. "She told me that she was given a work permit without the need of a no-objection certificate because I was imprisoned."

AH then asked his legal representative to investigate.

"After my lawyer contacted the Ministry of Labour she discovered that ST was given a work permit after she handed in a letter, signed by me, to work for a company called CDC in Dubai," he said.

AH complained to police on December 19.

ST claimed to have obtained her husband's signature on November 11, which was a Friday. However, the prison said documents could be passed to prisoners from Sunday to Thursday only.

A CDC employee told prosecutors ST had presented a no-objection letter from her husband after being offered a job.

"She came back after a week with a signed letter and a copy of her husband's passport and hers, and we filed the papers at the ministry and subsequently obtained the work permit for her," he said.

ST denies the charges. The next hearing was scheduled for July 4.