Dubai: The lawyer of Deyaar’s former CEO American-Lebanese, Z.S, asked a court on Monday to club his client’s five graft cases into one because they are linked together.

“We, as defence, and the Public Prosecution agree on a major argument that my client [Z.S.] currently faces five court cases of corruption. The five cases are linked and that’s why we would like to ask the bench of judges to club the five cases in one.

“The fact that my client is being tried five times over the same charges is unfounded,” advocate Hassan Juma Al Raisi contended before the Dubai Court of First Instance.

“The court will consider your request. But are the five cases concerning the same criminal incident? And are the charges the same?” Presiding Judge Ali Atiyyah Sa’ad asked Z.S.’s lawyer.

“Yes your honour. The five cases include relatively the same charges such as bribery, abusing office, dispersing public funds, incurring loss to Deyaar, making unlawful profit and other charges. The five cases are linked.

“The claimant in civil right is the same, Deyaar Company. We maintain that the court should club the cases in one,” concluded Al Raisi while providing the court with a written plea and a list of documents justifying his request.

“The public prosecution will have to provide the court with documents concerning Z.S.’s cases which the defence has requested to be clubbed. We will also hear prosecution witnesses,” said Presiding Judge Saad who adjourned the case until November 22.

According to Monday’s case, Z.S. denies allowing Thermo, a construction services company, to win a tender illegally so he could unlawfully gain Dh20 million.

A 61-year-old Argentinean K.M, a partner in an IT company, Thermo’s former project manager, a Canadian, F.L, and Thermo’s ex-general manager, a British national A.S, were also charged with unlawfully gaining Dh10 million from the tender.

K.M, who is on bail, had earlier pleaded not guilty. F.L. and A.S. remain at large.

During Monday’s hearing, Deyaar’s lawyer Khalid Al Hamrani and K.M.’s lawyer asked the court to summon the chief auditor at the Rulers Court’s Financial Control Department to hear his statement.

Z.S. remains in custody since his extradition from Yemen, to where he fled a couple of months ago.

The American-Lebanese defendant Z.S. escaped from the UAE after he was granted Dh5 million bail.

Z.S. was bailed following repeated requests from his former lawyer, who constantly deliberated before court panels that Z.S. missed hearings ‘due to his dangerously ailing health situation’.

On July 12, Z.S. deposited his passport and that of an Emirati guarantor plus Dh5 million [financial bond] before he absconded in early August. Z.S. was not allowed to leave the UAE because of a court-imposed travel ban on him.