Pavitra Shetty
Published on January 15, 2024, 17:33:02
16 accomplices were also convicted for offenses including forgery, commercial fraud, bribery, and abuse of public money
In a groundbreaking ruling, the Abu Dhabi Court of Cassation has convicted a UAE citizen, his wife, and 16 co-defendants of various nationalities in 12 cases.
The crimes include harming public funds, forgery, bribery, profiteering, appropriation, commercial fraud, and disruption of a public facility.
The primary defendant and his wife received a prison sentence of 66 years and a fine of Dh39 million. The remaining defendants faced prison terms ranging from three to 15 years, coupled with a total fine of Dh13 million.
This verdict follows the Public Prosecution's charges against the defendants for establishing private warehouses where they stored expired food and other consumer goods. They were accused of illegally altering the expiration dates on these products and engaging in the illicit resale of tampered items.
The defendants manipulated crucial details and expiration dates, providing false and misleading commercial information for various products, including organic foods, posing a severe risk to public health and safety.
Furthermore, the group promoted these adulterated and expired products through deceptive advertising, misleading the public into purchasing items by falsely claiming their quality and suitability for consumption.
The charges also include soliciting and accepting gifts in exchange for purported influence, such as claiming the ability to intervene with public authorities for personal gain. Additionally, they were found guilty of various offenses, including breaching regulations by laying unauthorized water pipes, destroying water distribution pipes, and causing disruptions to public services.
The group intentionally damaged electricity equipment in multiple properties, leading to power disruptions for various beneficiaries. They also endangered lives by tampering with electrical panels, risking potential leaks and ignition.
The defendants also attempted to appropriate the public road separating two farms and to disrupt public transport by merging the two farms, by unlawfully using the road separating the two agricultural holdings, as well as forging official documents and electronic files which they used to commit these crimes.
The defendants also attempted to appropriate a public road between two farms, disrupting public transport by illegally merging the agricultural holdings. This involved forging official documents and electronic files to execute their criminal activities.
“This landmark judgment marks a major step forward in addressing a wide range of criminal activities and highlights the commitment of UAE’s legal system to upholding justice and protecting public welfare,” said Sunil Ambalavelil, a senior lawyer in Dubai.
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