A 47-year-old Australian man has been cleared by the Dubai Misdemeanours Court after being charged with using a fake university degree to obtain a senior role at a Dubai hospital and receiving significant salary payments under allegedly fraudulent conditions.

The man, who was employed in June 2017 as a human resources manager with a reported monthly salary of Dh40,000, was accused of presenting a counterfeit master's degree certificate, allegedly from a renowned American university, during the hiring process. The alleged forgery was uncovered in November of the same year when hospital officials, during a routine verification process, identified the degree as suspicious after contacting the issuing institution. This discovery led to the man’s dismissal, an internal investigation, and formal charges being brought against him.

Prosecutors argued that the 'forged degree' was a calculated attempt to mislead the hospital and secure the high-ranking position. According to court records, the document was presented as proof of his advanced academic qualifications, which were necessary for the role. However, the Australian national's defense, led by Dr Hasan Elhais, a legal consultant at Awatif Mohammad Shoqi Advocates in Dubai, insisted that their client acted in good faith. 'Our client was unaware of any irregularities in the degree certificate. He submitted it in good faith as part of the standard onboarding process,' Dr Elhais stated.

'There was no direct evidence linking our client to any act of forgery. The prosecution has not demonstrated any intent or involvement on our client’s part in knowingly presenting a forged document,' he explained. The court ultimately sided with the accused, noting that the prosecution had failed to provide conclusive evidence to substantiate the forgery charges beyond a reasonable doubt. The verdict emphasized the lack of intent and pointed out that other documents, including the man’s employment history, did not support claims of deliberate fraud or misconduct.

With no appeal filed within the designated timeframe, the acquittal is now final.

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