Emirati given three month suspended sentence for fake degree
Jobless man claimed he earned the degree through a distance learning programme in Egypt
Dubai: A man was given a three month suspended sentence for having a fake law degree, the Dubai Court of First Instance heard on Monday.
The 39-year-old unemployed Emirati allegedly claimed he obtained his degree from a university in Egypt in 2015 through a distance learning programme, but the university confirmed they didn’t have such a programme.
In June 2018, the defendant submitted his law degree certificate to the UAE’s Ministry of Education for accreditation when ministry officials discovered it was fake.
“He submitted his degree issued from a university in Egypt,” said a researcher at the ministry. “He wanted an accreditation in the UAE. We contacted the Egyptian Embassy for clarification and they informed us that the degree was fake.”
The defendant was immediately reported to Al Ghusais police station.
According to Dubai Public Prosecution, an official letter from the university’s deputy head of students and educational affairs said that the university does not have a distant learning programme and that the 2015 certificate presented was forged.
The defendant was charged with forging an official document with the help of an unknown man and using the forged document. He earlier denied charges in court.