Manager caused Dh28.6m loss to firm

Suspect, 3 accomplices deny illegally dealing in 1,069 special numbers allotted to shaikhs

Asenior manager at du has been accused of abusing his job by illegally trading in hundreds of exclusive numbers allotted to royalty and causing a purported loss of Dh28.6 million to the mobile operator.

The Emirati manager was said to have been in charge of a special department at du that allotted exclusive numbers to members of the ruling families and other VVIPs.

The manager allegedly accessed du’s system and traded in [bought and sold] exclusive numbers to several clients at a high price and pocketed the profit for himself between June 2008 and February 2013, according to records.

The man was believed to have traded in exclusive numbers that included limited packages with an Emirati government employee and his countryman businessman.

Meanwhile, an Emirati saleswoman, who was stationed at a du booth in a mall, was accused of collaborating with the manager.

The scam was exposed when a top manager at du was contacted by his acquaintance who informed him that an employee was trading in exclusive numbers and selling elite or golden packages up to Dh2,500.

An internal investigation later revealed that the Emirati manager was the one dealing in the exclusive numbers.

Further police interrogations also exposed the involvement of the saleswoman, the government employee and the businessman.

Prosecutors accused the manager of abusing his duties [being formerly in charge of the department that issues exclusive numbers to members of the ruling family] and buying, selling and reselling those numbers for his personal gain.

He was accused of misusing the authority granted to him to access du’s e-system to trade illegally in those numbers and privileged bundles and causing a Dh28.6 million loss to du.

Prosecutors also accused the saleswoman, employee and the businessman of aiding and abetting the manager.

The four suspects not guilty yesterday. pleaded