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Dud cheque accused a victim 
of real estate fraud: Lawyer

DUBAI - A lawyer of a businessman accused of issuing dud cheques argued in the Court of Appeal on Tuesday that his client was a victim of a real estate fraud.

Samir Jaafar, representing the Emirati businessman who stood trial for allegedly issuing five cheques for Dh125 million which bounced, told the court that his client gave the cheques to a real estate finance provider for plots he purchased from the firm.

“However, he learnt only after completing the purchase deal that the firm had already mortgaged them to a bank for financing before signing the contracts with my client,” he said.

The old mortgage made it impossible for the defendant to transfer the ownership of the 20 plots worth Dh 375 million he had bought, Jaafar said.

The lawyer stressed on his client’s good intention and his will to settle his payments. “He paid up Dh250 million through cheques. He still owed Dh 125 million, for which he issued five cheques, subject of the case, which bounced for lack of funds in his account.”

The lawyer on behalf of the firm (finance provider) requested the court to uphold the Court of Misdemeanour’s verdict, sentencing the businessman to a fine of Dh30,000 in March last year for issuing the dud cheques.

Both the defendant and the Public Prosecution appealed the verdict at the Court of Appeal.

The court panel, comprising Presiding Judge Mahmoud Fahmi Sultan, Judge Rashid Sumairi and Judge Dr Abdullah Al Shamsi, will be handing down a verdict in the middle of next month.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE