Bassam Za’za’
A quantity surveyor has been accused of abusing his job at a private engineering establishment and requesting Dh116,000 in bribes over an iron deal.
The 29-year-old Irish quantity surveyor, A.O., was said to have abused his position in charge of surveying iron’s market prices at his former workplace and allowing an industrial company to win a tender.
Prosecution records said the suspect allowed the industrial company to win the iron deal with his workplace by overestimating the price of iron and accepting the difference in price as a bribe.
“No, I am not guilty…,” the Irishman was heard telling the Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday when he entered his plea.
The suspect strongly refuted the accusation levelled against him by presiding judge Mohammad Jamal in courtroom three.
According to the charge sheet, prosecutors said A.O. worked as a quantity surveyor at the Dubai-based establishment when he allowed the industrial company to win the iron tender illegally. The suspect abused his authority, according to prosecutors, and accepted a bribe to allow the company win the tender although the iron’s proposed price was higher than the market price.
A.O.’s lawyer asked presiding judge Jamal to adjourn the case until he prepares his defence.
Meanwhile the establishment’s lawyer said he would lodge a civil lawsuit against the defendant in the upcoming hearing on June 17.
The establishment’s Irish manager testified to prosecutors that the incident happened after the accounting department discovered an increase in the price of imported iron in April, May and July of 2011.
“When the accountant realised the overpriced tenders and particularly those won by the company, he checked the market price during those periods. The market prices were cheaper than the tenders’ prices. We held a meeting with the industrial company, and I realised that A.O. was defending them.
“Thereafter my wife communicated with the company and it was brought to her attention that three cheques worth Dh116,000 were paid to the defendant. It was discovered that his account had a total of Dh292,000 despite the fact that his salary was Dh21,000,” claimed the manager.
Prosecution records said the Irish claimant reported the matter to the police when the defendant failed to commit to his previous promise that he would return the money.
Records also mentioned that the defendant lodged a kidnap case against the manager but prosecutors dismissed the case for lack of evidence.
Source: gulfnews
