Sharjah Court Jails Man For Six Months Over Dh1.515M College Admission Fraud

A man who cheated a father out of Dh1.515 million by falsely promising to secure his son’s admission to a college has been sentenced to six months in prison by the Sharjah Court of First Instance.

 

The court found the defendant guilty of using a false identity and fraudulent claims of influential connections to persuade the father that he could arrange the admission. It also referred the case to the competent civil court and ordered the defendant to pay the court fees.

 

The case began when the father, who was looking for assistance to enrol his son in college, was introduced to the defendant through an acquaintance. After contacting him by telephone, the father was assured that the admission could be arranged. The defendant initially demanded Dh70,000 in cash, which he collected from the son at a shopping centre in Sharjah.

 

He subsequently met the father at a hotel and sought a further Dh445,000, claiming the amount was required to cover the first year’s tuition fees. He also requested Dh1 million, purportedly for investment purposes. The following day, the son handed over Dh1.445 million to the defendant, taking the total amount paid to Dh1.515 million.

 

However, the promised admission never materialised, and the defendant failed to return the money despite receiving the payments.

 

A woman who had professional and personal connections with both the father and the defendant told the court that she intervened after learning about the dispute. According to her testimony, the defendant acknowledged receiving the money.

 

The father’s legal representative told the court that the defendant had deliberately sought to avoid creating a paper trail from the beginning. He allegedly insisted on receiving cash, claiming that the nature of his work prevented him from accepting payments through his bank account. He also instructed that the money be handed over inside his private car.

 

The representative said the investigation established the relationship between the parties and examined the defendant’s identity and circumstances, their meetings and communications. Details of the payments were documented, while witness statements and telephone messages were collected and presented as evidence.

 

After examining the evidence, the court concluded that the defendant had resorted to deception, including the use of a false identity, to induce the father to part with the money. It sentenced him to six months in prison and referred the financial claims to the competent civil court.