Sama is a private firm, says defence

Defence lawyers in the Sama Dubai case appeal yesterday contested a report issued by the Dubai Ruler's Office and presented in court by the public prosecution.

The report by the Legal Affairs Section at the office's Financial Audit Department said Sama Dubai is a public company, its funds are public funds and its staff are public employees assigned to perform a public service.

The lawyers referred to statements made by top Government officials during the Dubai World crisis that said Dubai World was a private company.

They said the same was true of Dubai Holding, to which Sama Dubai belonged. This meant Sama Dubai was a private company, the lawyers said.

Dubai Court of Appeals is hearing appeals by defendants in the case and by the public prosecution against the sentences issued by Dubai Criminal Court.

The defendants are Emirati NS, an ex-sales consultant at Sama Dubai's Al Khayran company, Emirati MM, an ex-Al Khayran sales manager, Syrian AH, an ex-director of real estate development at Damac Holding, MN, an ex-senior sales executive at Al Khayran, who has no identity documents, and AM, executive chairman of Al Khayran.

MM, MN and NS have been jailed for one year and fined them Dh1.3 million for accepting bribes. It jailed MM, MN and AH for a year and fined them Dh650,000. MM and MN were charged with receiving commission and AH was charged with accepting bribes. AM was acquitted.

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