Muscat: An Omani government employee has been sentenced to 10-year imprisonment and asked to pay a fine of 4.2 million Omani riyals (Dh40 million) by the Appeal Court in Muscat for misappropriation of public funds.

The convict, who has not been named in the media statement issued by the Public Prosecutor in Muscat, was working with the salary department of a government organisation. He had siphoned off about 1.4 million Omani riyals over a period of four years.

Although the government department for which he was working is not named by the public prosecution in the media release, it is known that he headed the salary department at the Muscat Municipality.

The convict faked payment roll and added amount to his own account thus accumulating 1.4 million riyals in a span of four years before his fraud was detected.

The court also ordered the land owned by him to be confiscated.