Monday, May 28, 2012
Gulf News
Dubai A three court-appointed auditors panel will look into the graft case involving Mizin’s former executive manager and an engineer to decide whether they committed financial irregularities worth Dh49 million.
The Dubai Court of First Instance on Sunday did not acquit or convict Mizin’s Emirati former executive manager, S.H., and a Lebanese engineer, J.H., who had pleaded not guilty and rejected the charges of bribery and the financial irregularities.
“The court has decided to refer the case to three court-appointed auditors who will look into the case. The defendants, S.H. and J.H., will jointly pay Dh50,000 in auditors’ fees. The court will also re-hear the prosecution witness statement on June 10. Meanwhile, the auditors’ panel will file its report on September 16,” said the presiding judge in courtroom four yesterday.
The court reached its decision after advocates Samir Jaafar and Ali Abdullah Al Shamsi, who are defending S.H. and J.H. respectively, countered the prosecutors’ accusations and asked the court to acquit their clients.
Advocates Jaafar and Al Shamsi provided the court with loads of documents and auditing reports confirming that their clients did not breach the law or commit any financial irregularity. According to the accusation sheet, prosecutors charged S.A. with abusing his duty and accepting Dh1.9 million in bribes (from J.H.) to grant him favours in booking and buying lands and special units, which belonged to Mizin’s projects. He was also charged with unlawfully giving the Lebanese a Dh49 million discount on purchases.
in figures
scale of Corruption
Dh49m
Alleged financial irregularities
50,000
Auditors’ fees to be paid by defendants
By Bassam Zaza?Legal and Court Correspondent
Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.
