Dubai: The Dubai Court of Appeal has acquitted a company director of charges of breach of trust and allegations that he embezzled Dh2.5 million from the company’s funds.
A source at the Dubai Court of Appeal told Gulf News: “The defendant was working as director in an industrial company operating in Dubai and was active in the field of trading.”
The Court of First Instance in Dubai had sentenced him to one month’s imprisonment and a fine of Dh2.5 million, representing the value of the funds that the company claimed had been embezzled, with a ruling to deport him from the state and refer the civil case to the competent civil court.
The accused had appealed the initial ruling through his representative, lawyer Ali Khalaf Al Hosani.
It was argued on his behalf that the papers did not contain any trust contracts and that he did not receive, embezzle or squander any funds belonging to the company, and that his work duties did not include issuing purchase orders or supplies or receipt bonds. These powers were vested with the executive director, it was put forth, with a request that an accounting expert review the case papers and documents and explain the role of the company director in the accusations against him.
A cancellation of the preliminary ruling was appealed for, with a submission that the director be acquitted of the charges against him. A request was also made for the referral order issued by the Public Prosecution to be invalidated, considering that the evidence dis not match or support the accusations.
The court source told Gulf News that the Dubai Court of Appeal ordered the assignment of an accounting expert to review the case papers and documents and to find out the role of the accused and his legal, financial and administrative powers during the period of his service in the company.
After the expert submitted his detailed report, including all supporting documents, the Appeal Court ruled that the director be acquitted.
