Two held with counterfeit notes

Two men have appeared in Dubai Criminal Court charged with possessing fake currency, fraud and theft.

DM, 39, from Ghana, and GJ, 29, from Nigeria, deceived two nationals, company manager GE and student IA, by telling them they had $9 million (Dh33m) at their embassies in Abu Dhabi, the court heard.

The accused allegedly said they wished to use the cash to establish a business and were looking for Emirati partners so they could obtain company licences.

They told the victims they needed $130,000 to release the money from the embassies and showed them a copy of a cheque issued by a British bank to prove that the money belonged to them together with a receipt that appeared to show that $9m had been transferred to the embassies. Dubai Public Prosecution said the victims delivered $130,000 to the accused, who produced a box that they claimed contained the $9m. The Emiratis began to wonder why anyone would leave $9m in exchange for $130,000 and decided to call the authorities, and Dubai Police arrested the two African men.

Laboratory tests revealed that the banknotes supplied by the accused were fake.

The case was adjourned until July 14 when the Dubai court is expected to deliver the verdicts.

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