Barber stands trial in Dubai for visa bribes

Dubai: A barber has denied the charge of attempting to pay a Dh104,000-bribe to a residency officer to renew residency visas on 52 passports, a court heard on Wednesday.

"I didn't attempt to bribe the officer … I paid him Dh2,000 to cover the residencies' renewal fees and he failed to complete the transaction. I am not guilty," argued the 38-year-old Pakistani barber when he defended himself before the Dubai Court of First Instance.

Prosecutors accused the defendant, M.W., of offering Dh2000 per passport as a bribe to the sergeant of Dubai Department of Residency and Foreigners' Affairs to renew the residencies on the 52 passports.

Presiding Judge Fahmi Mounir rejected bail for M.W., who remains in custody until the court reconvenes soon.

The Emirati sergeant testified that he is the suspect's client at his salon. "One day I met him at the Department and he asked to discuss with me a certain matter … when I visited him at the salon, he asked me to help him renew 52 expired residencies. The suspect offered to pay me Dh1,500 for each passport. I informed my superior who commanded me to pursue the matter with him. I claimed that I agreed and asked him to increase the payment to Dh2,000 per passport and he approved," claimed the sergeant.

Records said the suspect met the sergeant later and handed him one passport for renewal on a trial basis.

The sergeant testified that he renewed the residency on the passport and contacted the suspect to hand him the passport in Bur Dubai.

"As soon as the barber made sure of the completion of the transaction, he paid me Dh1,000 and promised to pay the remaining Dh1,000 at the salon. The defendant was arrested in a sting operation," claimed the sergeant.