Dubai: An accountant has been cleared of committing electronic fraud and embezzling Dh4 million from the UAE’s Finance Ministry after forging 453 e-dirham transactions.

The 30-year-old Sudanese accountant, who worked for an outsourced company that deals with the Labour Ministry and provides VIP services to businessmen, had denied committing e-fraud and embezzling Dh4 million when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance.

The accountant was granted access to the ministry’s e-system to recharge e-dirham cards that are provided to clients to carry out their Labour Ministry transactions.

The outsourcing company was contacted by the bank, according to records, and asked to settle a Dh4-million deficit before it was revealed that the Sudanese had been disconnecting a device from the internet while recharging e-dirham cards and embezzling the money.

Citing lack of corroborated evidence, presiding judge Mohammad Jamal acquitted the 30-year-old of abusing his position [as a public servant], committing electronic fraud and embezzling money using forged transactions.

Entering a not guilty plea before the court, the accountant denied forging 453 electronic transactions while recharging e-dirham cards of the Labour Ministry’s clients and also refuted the accusation of embezzling the paid amounts between January and November 2015.

The man worked for the outsourcing company that had an account with a local bank.

Records said the accountant abused the authority granted to him to access the e-system of renewing the e-dirham and used to recharge the credit on one device and then forge the transaction and cancel the recharging operation from another device to embezzle the client’s money.

Prosecutors said the suspect took advantage of the fact that the clients were unaware that he had cancelled their operations from another device and embezzled the money.

Meanwhile, the suspect refuted all accusations and contended that he was not responsible for the online fraud and forged transactions that had taken place.

According to Tuesday’s ruling, presiding judge Jamal also dismissed the civil lawsuit that was lodged against the Sudanese.

The primary ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.