Storekeeper jailed for stealing spare parts in UAE

Abu Dhabi - Authorities found out about the theft after a report by auditors that showed that many spare parts were missing in the store.

A storekeeper who was convicted of stealing spare parts from the store of a government department will be jailed for three months.
The Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi has overturned the appeal court ruling that had cancelled the jail sentence for the Asian man and fined him Dh5,000 instead, on the basis that the offence was a minor one.
The court documents stated that the accused, who was in charge of the store that keeps car spare parts for a government department in the Northern Emirates, took away several items from the store, and allegedly sold them outside.
Authorities found out about the theft after a report by auditors that showed that many spare parts were missing in the store.
Prosecutors charged the man with embezzling public funds, which he denied.
The Criminal Court of First Instance had sentenced him to three months in jail and ordered that he would be deported after serving his jail term. The man challenged the verdict at the appeal court, which cancelled the jail term and deportation order and fined him Dh5,000 instead, treating the charge as misdemeanor.
However, public prosecutors challenged the appeal court ruling at the top court, stressing that the man who was the custodian of the warehouse that stores car spare parts for a public department took away many items from the store which amounts to embezzling public funds as he caused loss to the government.
Prosecutors also asked the court to give a tougher sentence to the store keeper.
The Supreme Court judge cancelled the appeal court verdict and upheld the ruling by the first instance court, based on the evidence presented by prosecutors that confirmed that the man's action tantamount to embezzling public funds.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com