Dubai: A senior official of a government-owned company is the latest high-profile business executive to face charges of corruption involving almost Dh200 million, Gulf News has learnt.
The senior Emirati executive, H.D., of Dubai Holding, has been in detention for nearly six days.
Law enforcement officers are questioning him over alleged irregularities amounting to almost Dh200 million involving suspicious property deals in Dubai, sources close to the investigation said.
Crackdown
A senior law enforcement official said the government crackdown on cases of bribery and corruption, mostly in the real estate sector, continues.
When contacted by Gulf News, senior Dubai Public Prosecution officials refused to confirm or deny that H.D. is under investigation.
A judicial source, who requested anonymity, said law enforcement officers had summoned the executive for questioning over alleged unlawful gains, specifically regarding Dh150-Dh180 million, last weekend.
He turned himself in for questioning on Saturday or Sunday, added the source.
Gulf News also learnt that more than two suspects are being questioned by police for alleged financial irregularities at Dubai Holding and that more than two cases are currently being investigated by law enforcement authorities.
Other cases
This investigation comes close on the heels of several corruption cases handled by the Dubai Criminal Courts involving tens of executives (including a former minister) who allegedly gained about Dh2.5 billion through unlawful deals.
The Dubai Court of First Instance recently acquitted some and convicted others, sentencing them to prison terms of six months to three years.
Defendants
Convicted defendants were also fined and ordered to repay the amounts that they gained fraudulently.
Several other executives, most of whom are on bail, are still being prosecuted in the Courts of First Instance.
More than three corruption cases are currently being studied by the Appeals Court.
