Dubai: A businessman has been accused of offering a Dh30,000 bribe to a Labour Ministry inspector to lift a ban on his four companies.
The 35-year-old Indian businessman, V.A., was said to have offered the Emirati inspector a bribe to abuse his position and remove the ban.
“No, I did not offer a bribe,” said the defendant before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday.
Records said police arrested the defendant in a sting operation after the inspector accepted Dh9,000 as part of the bribe from V.A.
The suspect’s lawyer asked presiding judge Ezzat Abdul Lat to adjourn the case until he prepares his defence.
The inspector testified to prosecutors that he had known the businessman since 2009 as he owns and manages four companies.
“In September of last year, the suspect phoned me one afternoon and asked to meet me outside the office. Immediately I apologised and told him that I could not do so. When I asked him why he wanted to meet me, he claimed that there were four bans against his companies. He also offered to pay me Dh20,000 in order to help him lift the ban. I pretended to agree and immediately informed my boss. We took the required legal procedures and reported the matter to the police. I also pretended to the businessman that he had to increase the amount of the bribe. Then I asked him to send me the name of the banned company via SMS,” the inspector told prosecutors.
The defendant was cited admitting in his prosecution statement that he offered a bribe to the inspector to lift the four bans.
Presiding judge Abdul Lat adjourned the case until April 17.
