Dubai receptionist charged with embezzlement

DUBAI: A receptionist at the public prosecutor’s office landed in court on Wednesday for embezzling cash meant to be deposited to the prosecutor’s treasury. The 38-year-old Iranian man admitted to embezzling Dh48,000 while working in the front desk of Dubai’s government lawyers.

Court records show M.A. had misappropriated cash deposited by a Syrian man on January 2 to clear a bounced-cheque case.

The receptionist’s job involves receiving and depositing money from people involved in such cases.

“I stole the money,” the receptionist admitted to the court yesterday. “But I put it back the next day as my family is suffering from a financial crisis. I did not know what else to do.”

The theft was exposed when the Syrian man followed up his case to see if it was dropped, but realised his application for the case dismissal was rejected because the amount was not deposited.

“He gave me a receipt and told me to check again with him on the 13th of January to make sure the charges were dropped. When I visited him several times after that, he did all he could to avoid me. Later I found out my request for the dismissal was denied, because the amount was not deposited,” said the Syrian man. Court records show the receptionist later deposited the money into the prosecutor’s treasury which eventually led to the dismissal of the case against the Syrian man.

The receptionist’s defense lawyer will argue his case on May 19.