Fujairah court hands main defendant 126 years in jail in bribery and forgery case

Fujairah Criminal Court has convicted 44 defendants in a major bribery and forgery case dating back to 2018, sentencing the main defendant to a combined 126 years in prison, fining him Dh50,000 and ordering his deportation.

The court found the defendants guilty of requesting, offering and accepting bribes, mediating bribes to a public official, forging official documents and unlawfully processing lease authentication transactions without meeting legal requirements or paying prescribed fees.

According to court records, the case centred on a public employee working in a local authority’s lease contracts department, who exploited his position to fast-track or approve transactions in return for cash payments, Emarat Al Youm reported.

The defendant admitted receiving multiple sums, amounting to about Dh30,000 over several years, which he claimed were “gifts” or payments for assistance outside official working hours.

Investigations revealed coordination with intermediaries, including transaction clearance offices, and communication via phone calls and WhatsApp. Cash, electronic devices and phones used in the offences were seized.

The second defendant was sentenced to 32 years in prison, fined Dh5,000 and deported for aiding document forgery and mediating bribes. Other defendants received sentences ranging from one year in jail to fines of up to Dh8,000, depending on their roles.

The court ordered the confiscation of seized funds and equipment and required all defendants to pay criminal case fees, ruling that the evidence, including confessions, witness testimony and forensic reports, conclusively proved the charges.