Dubai: A housewife, who forged health documents certifying that a toothpaste was valid for human use in order to promote it, has been jailed for three months.
The 35-year-old Indian woman tampered with the details mentioned on an official technical document issued by the health-related-advertisement department at the Ministry of Health in 2013.
The Dubai Court of First Instance found her guilty of tampering with the details mentioned on documents of a toothpaste [fit to be used by consumers] with those mentioned on similar documents of another toothpaste that was not fit for human use.
Court records said the accused did so to be able to obtain the ministry’s permission to advertise a toothpaste that was not granted permission earlier.
The Indian woman pleaded not guilty and denied her accusation when she showed up in court.
Presiding judge Ezzat Abdul Lat said the accused will be deported after serving her jail term.
A ministry official said a company applied through the ministry’s website to get an approval to promote a certain toothpaste.
“The company attached with the application a document [certifying that the toothpaste was safe for human use] issued from the department of health-related-advertisements. The aforementioned document turned out to be forged.
“One of the doctors discovered the tampered details from the wording and dates. The company’s representatives claimed to us the defendant handed them the forged document. Thereafter we reported the matter to the police,” said the official.
The defendant was cited admitting to prosecutors that she tampered with the details to obtain the ministry’s permission to advertise the toothpaste.
Thursday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.
