Man tries to take driving test for friend, lands in court

Dubai - Prosecutors have referred them to trial and called for the strictest legal penalty possible against them.

A 22-year-old man has been charged at a Dubai court after he impersonated his friend and tried to take a driving test for taxi drivers on his behalf.
The Court of First Instance heard that on January 15, the Pakistani man showed up at a driving institute, presenting a test form issued from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), filled in with the name and details of his 26-year-old compatriot friend.
The man was charged with using an authentic document in the name of others while his friend was accused of aiding and abetting him in the unlawful act. The latter is accused of criminal complicity by inciting, agreeing and accompanying the other man to the institute and handing him over the form which bears his name to go for the test on his behalf.
Prosecutors have referred them to trial and called for the strictest legal penalty possible against them.
The incident was reported at Al Qusais police station.
During the public prosecution investigation, a Pakistani driving instructor and examiner said that the first defendant came to take the driving test of taxi drivers. "He presented an Emirates ID card and a driving licence. As I checked the driving test form he had, I spotted the difference between the information. The ID and the driving licence were his own while the form was filled with the other man's details without a photo."
The witness alerted his manager. "He wanted to take the driving test in the name of his friend. He apologised for the mistake he did and asked for forgiveness. We reported both men to the police."
The second accused admitted to the investigator that he handed his paper over to his friend to present it to the employee of the RTA so he could be examined as a cabbie on his behalf.
A ruling will be pronounced on February 26.
mary@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai