Dubai: A businessman, his daughter and five others have been accused of conspiring against an aluminium company, forging papers and committing around Dh17 million worth of financial irregularities.

The Pakistani businessman, who was a managing partner in the company, and his 38-year-old countryman were said to have conspired in forging official papers and receipts and handing the forged papers [issued on behalf of the aluminium company] to customs officials in Ras Al Khaimah.

Records showed the businessman alone embezzled around Dh2.7 million from the company.

His daughter, who was a partner in the company as well, two Filipinas, an Indian manager and a Pakistani accountant were also said to have aided and abetted the businessman in forging the papers and committing financial irregularities.

A 27-year-old Pakistani businesswoman said the suspected managing partner and his daughter, according to records, became their partners in the aluminium company that her father has been owning for several years.

The businesswoman said when the managing partner refused to cooperate with her and show her the company’s financial records and annual reports in 2014, they hired an internal audit firm that discovered that he [the partner] had embezzled around Dh17 million, said records.

The businesswoman said she and her father reported the suspected financial irregularities to the police shortly after the board members sacked the managing partner and his daughter.

Prosecutors accused the businessman and the 38-year-old suspect of forgery, using forged papers and embezzlement.

The remaining five suspects, including the businessman’s daughter, were charged with aiding and abetting.

The seven suspects refuted all charges when they appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old businesswoman testified to prosecutors that the suspected businessman and his daughter owned 12 per cent in the company each.

“Since he owns a number of companies, my father was very busy and had not been able to follow up the aluminium company’s business. Soon after the managing partner refused to cooperate with us in 2014 and did not show us the financial records and annual reports, we hired an internal auditor. In December 2014, the partner and his daughter were fired. Auditing reports confirmed that he had embezzled nearly Dh17 million … the six other suspects also aided and abetted him. Then we reported the matter to the police. He also embezzled raw materials worth Dh12.5 million and a special cutting device worth Dh700,000. The suspects had also forged several papers on which they signed on behalf of my father,” she claimed to prosecutors.

The trial continues.