Dubai: A court-appointed auditor has been accused of soliciting a Dh50,000 bribe to issue a financial report favouring a businessman in his commercial lawsuit in court.

The businessman was said to have lodged a commercial lawsuit against a company before the Dubai Commercial Court last year.

In August, the Dubai Commercial Court commissioned the 73-year-old auditor to audit the financial operations and issue his report in the commercial dispute.

Following delays in issuing the report, the businessman visited the certified office, according to reports, and when he tried to find out why the auditors have not issued the requested report, he was scolded and told to leave.

The businessman was believed to have visited the same office the next day and met the Jordanian auditor who told him that issuing the financial report of his case required more time and effort.

Records said the auditor also allegedly told the businessman that the Dh10,000 fees that had been paid to the court for the auditor to execute his court task was not enough and that, if he were to pay Dh50,000, the report would be issued faster and in his favour.

The businessman reported the matter to his lawyer, who advised that he notify the police about the auditor’s demand.

Law enforcement officers asked the businessman to interact once more with the auditor pretending that he was ready to pay him Dh40,000. The 73-year-old was subsequently apprehended in a sting operation.

Prosecutors charged the suspect with requesting Dh50,000 in bribe to issue a financial report as part of a court proceeding.

The suspect pleaded not guilty and denied the accusation levelled against him before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Monday.

“I did not request any bribe. The Dh40,000 was my money and not a bribe money. It was supposed to cover the medical expenses for my wife and I,” the suspect contended before presiding judge Urfan Omar.

The businessman testified before prosecutors that once the suspect asked him to pay him extra money, he alerted the police. “Law enforcement bodies asked me to cooperate with them and communicate with the suspect to have him arrested in a sting operation. He called me once the report was ready,” he told prosecutors.

Prosecution records said the suspect was apprehended and the cash issued by the police for the sting operation (Dh40,000) seized in his possession.

The trial continues.