Two men sold a Dubai Marina flat they did not own to an investor, after allegedly forging an ownership certificate from the Dubai Land Department, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
The defendants, a 44-year-old Pakistani real estate agent and an Indian, 29, were accused of forgery as they copied an official document and replaced the owner's name with that of the younger defendant. They then presented the copy to the victim claiming it was the original.
The men were additionally charged with fraud for obtaining Dh938,000 from the victim by claiming to sell him the apartment.
Prosecutors said the men met an Indian investor in April last year at a real estate agency where the older defendant worked.
The investor said he was taken to two apartments by the defendants who unlocked both units. They later provided him with the documents.
Two days after the investor wrote two cheques for Dh938,000 in the name of the younger defendant, he cashed the amount and stopped taking calls.
The investor reported the fraud to police who found out that the younger accused had left the country.
The manager of the real estate agency where the Pakistani defendant worked told prosecutors that he was hired based on his years of experience but worked with the company only for a month.
The older defendant was present in court and denied the charges while the other man is absconding.
The next hearing will be on October 8.
