Woman who embezzled Dh13m for fiancé pleas for mental check in UAE

The alleged fiancé, who was already married and was reportedly lying to the woman

The lawyer of a 33-year-old woman accused of embezzling more than Dh13 million from her workplace and spending the cash on a man who had promised to marry her asked court to take his client for a mental examination.
The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance heard that the Emirati woman used advantage of her position as the head of the accounts department at a banking institution in Abu Dhabi to steal the cash.
Court documents stated that the woman allegedly spent the stolen cash on the 26-year-old man, from a GCC nation, in paying his bank loans, buying him luxury cars and special number plates, buying expensive gifts like branded watches and clothes, and paying for his luxurious trips to Europe while travelling in business class.
The alleged fiancé, who was already married and was reportedly lying to the woman that he would marry her, is also on trial for conniving with the woman and for exploiting her.
The man's brother who also enjoyed the woman's cash is also accused in the case.
Prosecutors said the woman's fraudulent methods were found out after one of her colleagues discovered a transaction she carried out, which was not matching with the authorised procedures.
Police investigations revealed that the woman used fraudulent means to take millions of dirhams from the institution.
"She spent the funds on her alleged fiancé by transferring the cash to him and also buying him luxurious gifts, paying for his expensive trips and others," said the police after arresting her. "She also spent part of the cash for the man's brother."
Police said they had recovered part of stolen cash by seizing the gifts like vehicles that were bought using the misappropriated funds.
At the previous hearing, the woman admitted to embezzling the funds from her workplace during the period from August 2016 to April 2017.
She, however, regretted committing the crime, saying that she made a big mistake.
The woman also said that her fiancé and his brother had asked her to help them with money because their father's company was indebted and that it had been seized.
She said the men had promised to pay back the money.
The young man and his brother denied asking her for the money.
And in the latest hearing on Wednesday, the woman's lawyer insisted on the need to have his client taken for a mental examination to establish her mental status because he thought she had psychological problems at the time she committed the alleged crimes.
"My client should be presented before a medical committee specialised in mental illness to examine her behavior and mental status before the trial continues," the lawyer asked court.
The lawyer also argued that the exact amount said to have been embezzled by her client was not disclosed by the bank.
He also asked that documents or a statement showing part of the stolen money which the authorities were able to recover be presented to court.
The trial was adjourned until October.
 
ismail@khaleejtimes.com  
 

• Abu Dhabi