Nakheel consultant charged with accepting bribes

A Nakheel sales consultant embezzled almost Dh22 million from the Dubai World-owned company, Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance hears.

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Dubai // A Nakheel sales consultant accepted bribes and embezzled almost Dh22 million (US$6m) from the Dubai World-owned company, the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance heard yesterday. The defendant, SR, 31, a Canadia, is charged with accepting Dh16.6m in bribes from LS, 60, a Canadian woman who was a partner at Group Seven Properties, a Dubai-based company. He was also charged with accepting Dh2.7m from a Bangladeshi business man, AS, as well as Dh2.5m from a Russian business man, SM. Those two and two other suspects, BS, who worked with LS and SR's Canadian father, RS are still at large. In court yesterday, SR denied four charges relating to alleged bribes. LS also denied the charge of giving a bribe. Four other suspects have yet to be apprehended: Bangladeshi AS; Russian SM and SR's Canadian father, RS. SR was arrested on March 31 after an audit by the Government's financial audit department. Yesterday, the case was adjourned to present prosecution witness testimony. The trial will reconvene on January 17. amustafa@thenational.ae