(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Three police corporals based at the Dubai International Airport went on trial on Thursday for their alleged involvement in embezzling seven golden plates worth more than Dh1.2 billion.
According to prosecution records, 25-year-old Emirati corporal, identified as A.A., embezzled the gold, which was found in a bag left near an escalator in the airport. A cleaner found the bag and he handed it to A.A., who was stationed in the travellers and bags search section at Terminal 3. A.A. then allegedly handed the gold to Emirati police officer, M.A., 23, and Bangladeshi police corporal, S.A., 26, to smuggle it outside the airport.
While A.A. has been charged with abusing his power and embezzling property that happened to be in his possession, M.A. and S.A. have been charged in the Court of First Instance with being accessory to the embezzlement crime.
Four other defendants, including S.A.'s parents, have been charged with possession of stolen property.
S.A.'s father who is also a policeman, 56, said that he learnt from his Indian wife, 50, that their son, S.A., had seven gold plates, which were given to him after they were found in a bag in the airport. The Indian housewife and three other compatriot men are also being charged with possession of the stolen gold while aware they were embezzled.
An Ugandan tourist, 48, said in the investigation that he brought gold plates weighing 25kg from his home country to sell to a jewellery shop in the Gold Souq in Naif area. He said that he did not remember how many plates he carried, but knew that they were wrapped in three packets.
He said he lost a packet weighing 8 or 9kg while taking the stairs and he reported that to the police. When the gold plates were showed to him later during the Public Prosecution investigation, he identified it as the gold he had lost.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers arrested S.A.'s father from his residence on August 20. One of the Indian accomplices was arrested while trying to sell part of the stolen gold at the Gold Souq.
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