Dubai: A jobless man has been accused of posing as a trading company’s manager using someone else’s Emirates ID and embezzling a merchant Dh455,000 that was meant for purchasing scrap.

A Pakistani merchant was said to have visited a trading company in Al Barsha wanting to purchase scrap material in August.

Once he entered the company’s premises, he was greeted by a person who wore an Emirati traditional dress, according to records, and was introduced to a woman and a 24-year-old Pakistani man.

The latter was introduced to the merchant as the company’s manager who was supposed to discuss the deal to purchase scrap material.

Records said the merchant agreed with the 24-year-old purported manager on buying scrap material for Dh455,000.

The merchant was provided with a papers that contained images of the purchased materials and a photocopy of an Emirates ID that was supposed to be that of the company’s owner.

Despite the fact that according to the deal the merchant was supposed to collect the scrap instantly, the Pakistani was asked to wait for some time.

When the period to collect the scrap prolonged needlessly, the Pakistani merchant returned to the company and asked for his money back.

After several unsuccessful attempts to return his money, the merchant complained to the police after he discovered that he had been duped and swindled.

Primary police interrogations led to the arrest of the 24-year-old Pakistani man who turned out to be a jobless person.

Prosecutors charged the 24-year-old Pakistani and another suspect, who remains at large of, of using someone else’s Emirates ID to dupe the merchant and embezzle his Dh455,000.

The suspect pleaded not guilty and refuted his allegations when he appeared before the Dubai Court of First Instance on Tuesday.

“I did not use the ID and didn’t swindle the money,” he argued before presiding judge Mohammad Jamal.

The merchant claimed to prosecutors that he went with some friends to buy scrap from the company.

“When we first entered the company we met a person at the reception and he introduced us to a person who wore an Emirati dress and identified him with an Emirati name. The latter spoke to us in Pashto and he also introduced me to a woman and the suspect. I agreed to buy scrap for Dh455,000 after they showed me pictures of the materials. They were late in delivering the scrap.I left the premises after I was told that owner had to leave because of an emergency. I visited them several times but to no avail. Then I asked for my money back,” he testified to prosecutors.

A ruling will be heard on December 16.