Dubai driver, 2 petrol station staff accused of embezzling Dh58,000

Dubai - A Pakistani driver is accused of embezzling thousands of dirhams by abusing trust and misusing a fuel refilling card

Two petrol station employees allegedly embezzled more than Dh58,000 worth of fuel in cash after misusing a card given to them by a driver.

The two men, a Nepali and a Filipino, aged 24 and 34, are standing trial in absentia in the Court of First Instance. They allegedly managed to embezzle the money on different occasions after forging and tampering with electronic receipts pertaining to more than 30 fuel purchase transactions.

Public Prosecutions records show the pair would save the bogus transactions in the e-system and would pocket the money without any fuel filling.

The Pakistani driver, 37, is accused of embezzling thousands of dirhams by abusing trust and misusing a fuel refilling card. He is allegedly responsible for illegal transactions done with his card which was given to him to use for work-related trips.

He is accused of aiding and abetting the two station staff in the forgery offence.

The driver denied in court charges of embezzlement of public money, and criminal complicity in forgery of e-receipts and use of forged e-documents.

The embezzlement started from November 2015 and lasted till October 2016. It was reported to Al Muraqqabat police station.

An Indian supervisor of 400 drivers operating under a group of companies said the Pakistani driver had been working with them for three years. "Each driver is given a car and a card to buy fuel. In May 2016, we received an accounting report for the first quarter of the year that more than Dh15,000 was used on the driver's card, which was a large and illogical amount."

The supervisor called after the driver to go to his office. "He denied any excessive use by him of the card and alleged it was lost." However, internal probe and with the checking of CCTV footage of the petrol stations, it became clear the driver on trial was the one who used the card. A detailed statement showed he was responsible for 87 wrongful transactions and misuse of the card, the money of which he pocketed.

mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai