A female manager of a Dubai-based ports company has been charged at the Dubai Court of First Instance with seeking bribes worth about Dh5 million from contracting firms in return for helping them win tender bids in construction projects.

The Emirati woman, 29, is accused of soliciting Dh500,000 from the manager of a contracting firm through a Syrian woman (also charged in the case) to win the construction project of the villa of the Djibouti president in Jumeirah Heights. The manager of the contracting firm (a 59-year-old Egyptian) is facing trial for offering the bribe to a public employee.

The Emirati manager is also accused of seeking for herself and her accomplice, Dh4.35million in illegal commissions from the CEO of a construction firm to win Terminal 3 project in Jebel Ali. The 49-year-old Jordanian CEO has been charged with offering a bribe to a public employee.

The main defendant is also accused of money laundering as she is believed to have transferred, together with other accused Dh2.175million from the account of a contracting firm to that of a technical service company in order to cover up the fact that the money was illegally earned.

The 55-year-old Lebanese manager of the technical service company is accused together with the Syrian woman and the Jordanian, of forging a contract (dated June 2012). The forged contract stated that his company should collect a commission of 6 per cent out of the Jebel Ali project contract worth Dh72.5million for consultancy and guidance services it would offer to the contracting firm on the strategy of best ways to enter the tender and offer competitive prices.

The case dates back to January 2012 and the alleged wrongdoings continued till 2014. The main accused was arrested in a sting operation by the State Security in March 2014 after the Syrian woman tipped them off on her.

The Syrian went to meet her at a café in Al Safa carrying an envelope of money containing Dh150,000 (which belonged to the police). The manager was arrested after she collected the money.

The Syrian complained against the manager as she was not satisfied with the amounts she had received. She claimed to the police she was a victim in the case but she was also charged nonetheless.

Source: Khaleej Times