Property salesmen caught in sting

Two former property salesmen were sentenced to three years in prison and fined Dh3.8 million (US$1m) yesterday for pocketing Dh3.08m in illegal commissions.

KM, 28, an Egyptian former sales executive, and WJ, 32, an Emirati former sales manager, both worked for the developer Nakheel, where they sold land on the Palm Jebel Ali. They were found guilty at the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance of charging an extra two per cent – Dh5.13m – on a land deal worth Dh265m.

The judge, Fahmi Mounir, pronounced the sentence in the absence of the two defendants, who had not been brought from jail.