DUBAI 17 July 2017: A jobless Emirati woman and a bank woman employee allegedly stole Dh2,7 million from a bank, the Dubai Criminal Court head.
HJ, 33, who does not have any income bought two brand new cars from agencies worth Dh400,000.
JH, and her Palestinian accomplice, the bank employee OM, 37, forged a salary certificate, salary transfer letter and passport photocopy in the name of Salama.
JH who pretended to be ‘Salama’ visited the bank branch in Al Quoz area and opened a bank account on May 17, 2014.
She then asked for a loan of Dh2.7m after claiming that she is an employee at the Ministry of Interior and earns a monthly salary of Dh136,000. She submitted a salary certificate attributed to the ministry stating that she joined the ministry five months ago, January 2014.
As she was wearing a ‘burqa’ covering her face, the female manager of the bank asked her to lift it to ensure the picture in the passport photocopy, which carried as per original stamp, matched the applicant.
“The picture was the same as of the applicant. And the name in the passport photocopy was Salama. I also asked her if she is Salama. She answered affirmatively. I processed the application and referred it to the headquarter,” testified the Lebanese manager, AB, 39.
So-called Salama
The so-called Salama signed on a cheque of the loan’s value and then withdraw Dh500,00 against a cheque and the Dh2.1m on the following day against another cheque.
After that she visited the manager and thanked her for the good service she has received.
Records did not mention how the bank discovered the fraud.
Police were informed and the bank employee OM, gave the police the telephone number of a woman who had opened an account with the bank long time ago whom he suspect was the accused in the case.
Police identified and arrested the woman who denied processing any application with the bank and denied knowing anyone called ‘Salama’.
However, the bank’s manager recognised ‘Salama’ when shown to her via identification parades assuring that she is the one who had visited her in the bank and applied for Dh2.7m loan.
Confronting her with that, the accused admitted visiting the bank but claimed that a Bahraini woman called Maryam Issa gave her documents and asked her to hand them over to the bank employee OM.
The accused denied signing on any cheques or withdrawing any amount form the bank.
Bahraini Connection
She later said that the bank employee made her sign on bank documents after telling her that she would not be held accountable.
She said that Maryam later paid her Dh136,000, an amount she was asking her for.
However, police found out that the accused had purchased two brand new cars of Dh400,000 value and registered them in her name although she does not have any income.
Police did not find anyone in the name of ‘Salama Saeed Salem Al Saboosi’.
It was also been discovered that the mobile number mentioned on the application was of a SIM card been purchased from a grocery nearby the accused’s house.
Police also discovered telephone calls and messages between the woman and the bank employee that proved his involvement in the crime.
The court will reconvene on August 6.
By Lolyana Zaki