Abu Dhabi: An Asian has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and deportation in absentia by the Abu Dhabi Court of First Instance for embezzlement of public funds.
The man, who had been working at a government customer service centre, has also been ordered to return the Dh23,626 which he has stolen and to pay a fine of the same value.
A source at the judicial department stated that sentences handed in absentia are not final and in case the defendant is caught, the court would have to hold a trial to give him the right to defend himself.
Investigations at the Abu Dhabi court have shown that the defendant’s company charged the accused with stealing Dh15,000 which he confessed to taking. A day later, a safety deposit box located at the defendant’s supervisor’s office was found broken into and emptied. The defendant was the only one working the night shift on the day of the break-in and he fled the country on the same day of the incident.
