DUBAI 21 May 2017: Emirati branch manager and administrative officer of a bank allegedly stole a total of Dh26m over a four year period from an account of a client he was authorized to manage, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
The owner of the account, KA, 54, a retired Emirati did not know about transfers of amounts from his account because the branch manager MA, 31, changed the mobile number and the PO Box number and so that he would not receive any notification.
The branch manager put in the victim’s bank file a mobile number of another client and a PO box number of a pest control company.
The thefts were committing from 2010 to 2014.
The administrative officer, MS, 19, assisted the branch manager by opening an account in another bank to which the transfers were done.
MS is also accused of assisting the branch manager in other forging official documents related to the embezzlement.
The branch manager is also accused of forging the issue of 4 cheque books of the victim’s account.
A bank account that was falsely opened in the name of a deceased bank client was also used to carry out transfers to cover up for embezzlements.
Dh11 million were in the deceased’s account. Investigations proved that the branch manager transferred Dh11 million from the victim’s account to that of the deceased when inherits wanted to collect the amount.
Found Out
Following deficits in the victim’s accounts and the discovery of embezzlements, the accused claimed paying amounts back to the victim.
The bank found out that the mobile number that was in the victim’s file was in the name of an Emirati trader AS, 60, who had two accounts in the bank. As was asked about the mobile number which was in the victim’s file.
“I do not know how that happened. I do not know the victim and the branch manager. I have two accounts in the bank. One was personal and the other was in the name of the hotel which I own. The mobile number is used by my wife. I do not know who put the number in the victim’s file,” he testified,
SR, 46, Indian investor, the owner of the PO box number that was in the victim’s file was also questioned by investigators.
“I used to receive envelopes from the bank in my pest control company’s PO box. I did not open any of them because it was not in my name, or in the company’s name. I do not know the victim or the accused,” he testified.
Testimony
The bank’s general manager, AA, 43, Emirati, testified that the branch manager presented her photocopies of two letters signed by the victim stating that he had received amounts from the accused.
However, she testified that the branch manager refused to hand her over the originals of the two letters. The letters were also denied by the victim, she said.
Head of the bank’s sales department, SA, 34, Emirati, testified that the branch manager has no right to issue cheque books in the name of the victim. He also does not have the right to transfer amounts from the victim’s account.
By Lolyana Zaki