A Public Prosecution employee is accused of accepting bribes to forge more than 100 court rulings.
His lawyer refuted the claims in court saying one of the incidents the defendant is accused of dates back to when the 21-year-old Emirati was aged only seven-years-old.
“He was born in 1996, and one of the forgeries that the prosecutors claim my client had done happened in 2003. I don't understand how this could possibly be true,” said lawyer Saeed Al Ghilani.
Mr Ghilani said more of the alleged forgery incidents attributed to the defendant occurred while he was in custody. "You will find all of this in the records before you your honour," he said.
He told the court that even the arrest warrant issued against his client was void.
"It held a generic reason for the arrest, it said — arresting suspect for receiving money- but what does that even mean? We all receive money, the court should not take this warrant and every procedure that followed it, into consideration," said Mr Al Ghilani
Prosecutors said the accused pocketed more than Dh154,000 in bribes from different men to change 103 rulings. They said that in one case, he took between Dh1,000 and Dh1,500 from six other defendants to change the rulings against them into fines.
Records show that the employee allegedly altered rulings issued in absentia by the Courts of Misdemeanours, Appeal and Residency.
The employee worked at Public Prosecution's Criminal Rulings Execution Section, and was tipped off to police in April 2016 for changing judgements issued between January 2015 and March 2016.
Chief Prosecutor Salem Bin Khadem carried out a 15-month investigation after which the employee was officially charged with abusing his position, accepting bribes, forgery and accessing the classified filing system.
Three Indian men who worked for law firms in Dubai, a Jordanian public prosecution employee, and a Yemeni inspector at a government department, were all charged with aiding and abetting the 21-year-old defendant.
Two other Indian defendants, also charged with aiding and abetting, remain at large.
Records show that after altering the rulings, the accused would print out the new judgments with a confirmation that the ruling had been executed.
The court was told that the main defendant allegedly changed a six-month judgment issued against a defendant in a bounced cheque case to a Dh10,000-fine and changed another ruling of six months and deportation, to a Dh2000-fine.
The 21-year-old defendant and five others appeared in court and denied all charges against them. The search for the two accused at large is ongoing.
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
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THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
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The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
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Sunday's games
All times UAE:
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm
Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm
Everton v Watford, 8.30pm
Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410
Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm
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Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
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