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Dubai: The trial of a former minister who allegedly misappropriated a Lebanese businesswoman's property worth Dh1.82 million, was adjourned until next month to hear prosecution and defence witnesses.
Lawyers representing the ex-minister, who earlier sought to deny charges that he deceived the businesswoman, have sought the Dubai Court of Misdemeanour's permission to present witnesses.
Meanwhile, the businesswoman's lawyer asked the court on Monday to hear statements by the prosecution witnesses.
The court reconvenes on November 11.
The plaintiff inherited the property from her late brother, who had been a former business partner of the defendant.
Denial
"It didn't happen," the 51-year-old ex-minister told the court during his first appearance in September.
The ex-minister, K.F.; his 26-year-old son, M.F., a businessman; 44-year-old American general manager, S.A.; and 48-year-old Indian financial manager, P.N. had earlier denied they had resorted to deception or fraud and pleaded not guilty before the court.
Sponsoring new firm
According to the Public Prosecution's charges, the incident happened between May 2, 2005, and May 27, 2008, during which K.F. sponsored an information technology company (49 per cent of which belonged to the victim's late brother H.J.).
S.A. was the company's general manager and P.N. the financial manager.
The Public Prosecution charged the three men with deceiving the 36-year-old businesswoman, M.J., and getting her (as a successor) to waive her brother's stake and partnership in the company. The three reportedly managed to convince her to sign a waiver and reconcilement concurrently, according to the charges.
Records said K.F. (who wasn't a minister then), S.A. and P.N. told M.J. that her late brother owned 49 per cent of the company and showed her the formal partnership agreement, while keeping the "I-owe-you" paper, which states that K.F. is to be paid an annual amount against his sponsorship, from her.
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