Dubai: An Indian businessman was sentenced to two years in jail over offering a Dh200,000 bribe to two police officers to release him. The defendant was additionally fined Dh200,000 by Dubai Court.
The Dubai Court of First Instance found the 51-year-old Indian businessman guilty of offering the bribe to the policemen last June while he was detained for questioning at Al Refaa Police Station, following a complaint over a reported criminal act. He offered to pay Dh100,000 to each of the officers to release him.
Two other Indian men, aged 51 and 33, were also sentenced to two years in jail for aiding and abetting the businessman as they had brought the money to be handed over to the police officers. All three defendants will be deported after serving their jail terms.
Robbery case
According to official records, the businessman was arrested in connection with a complaint of robbery and brought to the police station for questioning. “I was with a colleague, guarding the defendant when he wanted to speak to me in private. I took him out of the detention cell and it was then that he offered me Dh100,000 for my help. He said that in return for the money, he would want me to help him get relieved from the case”, the policeman said on record.
The businessman offered to pay the sergeant’s colleague an equal amount — Dh100,000 — as bribe. “I made him believe that I would accept his offer and then informed my director,” the policeman said.
Negotiations
The defendant then negotiated with the policeman and reduced the bribe to Dh150,000 in total for the two policemen. The other two Indian defendants were caught after they handed over Dh50,000 in cash to the policeman as the businessman had promised to pay the remaining amount once he would be released. All the defendants were sentenced to two years in jail, to be followed by deportation and were fined Dh200,000.
The verdict is subject to appeal within 15 days.
