Judge denies bail to Deyaar's ex-CEO and two suspects

Dubai: A court has rejected a bail request which Deyaar's former chief executive made yesterday following 14 months in detention during which time he claims he suffered heart disease.

"Your honour. Today [Monday] I have been brought to court from hospital after three months of treatment. I have been detained for nearly 14 months now during which time I encountered heart disease& I pledge you to grant me bail so I can recover," said the 43-year-old American ex-CEO, Z.S., who was in a neck brace when he pleaded not guilty to alleged corruption and fraud charges before the Dubai Misdemeanours Court.

Z.S. said the time he spent in detention has made his family suffer and he has incurred damage to his health and suffered financial harm when he addressed Presiding Judge Rifaat Mahmoud Tulba Othman.

Z.S. who underwent a disc operation which lasted more than five hours a couple of weeks ago, on Monday pleaded not guilty and rejected the charges of breach of trust, forgery and using fake documents, revealing Deyaar's secrets and aiding and abetting a crime.

Z.S. and seven other suspects, who face various fraud and corruption charges, pleaded innocent when they appeared in courtroom five which was crammed with nearly ten lawyers representing the defendants and Deyaar.

Z.S.'s lawyer Ali Abdullah Al Shamsi said, in court, his client had spent more than 14 months in detention and requested bail due to his client's health situation.

Eisa Bin Haider, who represents 60-year-old Argentine J.M., also requested bail for his client who is a cancer patient.

Towards the end of the session, Presiding Judge Othman rejected the bail requests of Z.S., J.M. and a 49-year-old Indian manager, J.K.K. and adjourned the case until May 27.

Essam Al Tamimi and Co Advocates and Legal Consultants are representing Deyaar in the civil rights claim.

J.M. and J.K.K. pleaded not guilty to the charges of forging and using faked documents, swindling, deception and aiding and abetting a crime.

The arraignment sheet includes 39-year-old Indian manager, J.D., who didn't appear in court because he is still at large facing alleged charges of breach of trust, fraud and revealing secrets.

The rest of the suspects (who are on bail) include two Indian executives, 31-year-old G.P. and 29-year-old N.S., 38-year-old Lebanese C.B., and 24-year-old Pakistani salesman, H.S., who face different charges of forgery, breach of trust, swindling, deception, fraud and others.

All the suspects denied the charges and pleaded not guilty.

Dubai Attorney General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan announced earlier that a former Emirati minister and ex-chairman of Dubai Islamic Bank's board of directors, M.K., along with Z.S. and J.D. were involved in the Deyaar corruption case. M.K., Z.S, and J.D. will be prosecuted before the Dubai Court of First Instance on May 24 facing alleged charges of defrauding nearly Dh100 million.

Gulf News will not name the suspects in keeping with the media code of ethics.