Former minister denies charge of abetting corruption in Deyaar

Dubai: A former minister denied a new charge levelled against him on Tuesday, for aiding Deyaar's ex-chief executive officer in committing bribery and financial irregularities to the tune of Dh56.6 million.

Dubai Public Prosecution on Tuesday charged the 53-year-old Emirati ex-minister, M.K., who chaired Deyaar's board then, with aiding, abetting and urging the 44-year-old American former CEO, Z.S., in receiving a bribe of six million of Deyaar's shares, 380,000 shares of Tamweel, 145,000 shares of Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) and Dh17.9 million against giving M.K. discounts and benefits worth Dh56.6 million from Deyaar.

Senior Prosecutor Khalid Al Zarouni presented the modified charge sheet to Presiding Judge Al Saeed Mohammad Barghout, who instantly confronted M.K. with the new charge.

"Not guilty," replied the former state minister in a very calm and confident tone when he defended himself at the Dubai Court of First Instance.

Detailed report

Meanwhile, Dubai Financial Control Department's Egyptian financial expert handed the four-member jury an additional detailed report concerning the alleged financial irregularities in the Deyaar corruption case.

Lawyers Samir Jaafar and Ali Abdullah Al Shamsi, who are defending M.K. and Z.S. respectively, requested the court for an adjournment until they review the modified charge sheet and the additional report.

Lawyer Khalid Al Hamrani, who represented Deyaar in civil right, placed the same request.

"The court reconvenes on January 5 for the defence lawyers and claimants in civil right [Deyaar] to review the additional report and charge sheet and present their response. The jury will also continue listening to the financial expert's statement," announced Presiding Judge Barghout in courtroom nine.

During yesterday's hearing, the financial expert told the court that Deyaar's accrued damages reached Dh170 million.

The former government minister had earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges of power abuse and dispersing public funds worth Dh56.6 million.

Claims

M.K., who is on bail, strongly denies claims that he profited illegally, hurt the country's interests and misappropriated public money (from Deyaar) when he defended himself in court.

He denied allowing Deyaar's former CEO to misappropriate Dh53.5 million from Deyaar and DIB.

Z.S., who is still in detention for failing to secure Dh4-million bail, had denied all his charges and pleaded not guilty.

According to the arraignment sheet, M.K. was charged with causing damage to DIB and Deyaar.

Prosecutors charged M.K. with abusing his authority as DIB's former board chairman and unlawfully allowing Z.S. to misappropriate Dh53.5 million from Deyaar and DIB which caused them damage.

Z.S. was arraigned with aiding and abetting M.K. The American was additionally charged with abusing his authority as Deyaar's CEO and requesting Dh500,000 in bribe from a businessman against selling property units worth Dh9.6 million.

Deyaar's former operations manager, 40-year-old Indian J.D. (who is at large) and Z.S. were jointly charged with accepting Dh20 million in bribes from a company against awarding it tenders to execute some Deyaar projects.