Dubai: A lecturer lost his appeal and will be jailed for three years for posing as a Ministry of Economy employee and embezzling valuables worth Dh2.9 million from a jeweller using forged papers.

The 37-year-old Emirati man, Y.O., [formerly working for the ministry] forged several papers from the ministry and showed them to the Canadian jeweller claiming that the valuables were needed as gifts to the ministry’s guests in 2013.

Then he embezzled the Dh2.9 million worth of jewellery and branded watches and pens in collaboration with a 35-year-old Syrian manager, J.M.

In June, the Dubai Court of First Instance convicted Y.O. of forging official papers and using them to cheat the jeweller and steal the valuables.

Meanwhile J.M. was acquitted of aiding and abetting Y.O.

The Emirati appealed the three-year imprisonment before the Appeal Court seeking to prove his innocence.

Meanwhile prosecutors sought to overturn J.M.’s acquittal before the appellate court.

The Emirati pleaded not guilty and asked the appellate court to overturn his punishment.

J.M. pleaded innocent and contended that he had nothing to do with the embezzlement or the forgery.

“I became acquainted with Y.O. in 2013 … I introduced him to the jeweller when he wanted to buy a gift for his wife,” the Syrian argued.

Presiding judge Saeed Salem Bin Sarm rejected Y.O.’s appeal and upheld his three-year punishment and also upheld J.M.’s innocence.

Y.O. forged ministry papers such as a certificate of achievement, a purchase order, a guarantee certificate and legal process outsourcing and used those papers, said records.

Then he approached the jeweller and convinced him that the ministry intended to purchase valuables to present as gifts to its guests.

The Canadian testified that the suspects visited him at his store where Y.O. said the ministry wanted to sign an agreement with him and buy Dh5 million worth of valuables.

“He claimed to me that the ministry’s total budget was Dh20 million. Y.O. chose items worth Dh4.89 million and he gave me four cheques and provided me with the required papers. When the first cheque was due, he came to me shortly before that and claimed that the minister did not like some of the jewellery and wanted to return them. I became suspicious and complained in writing to the ministry. The undersecretary summoned Y.O. and suggested he resolve the matter amicably … Y.O. signed an undertaking that he would transfer the ownership of his house in Abu Dhabi to me. He did not do that. When we failed to reach an amicable settlement, the defendant handed me a cheque worth Dh2.9 million that later bounced. I lodged a bounced cheque case and a forgery case against Y.O.,” he testified.

The appellate ruling remains subject to appeal before the Cassation Court within 28 days.