Dubai Clinic Clerk Jailed for Selling Fake Sick-Leave Certificates
Dubai Clinic Clerk Jailed for Selling Fake Sick-Leave Certificates
A Dubai court has sentenced a clinic clerk and several accomplices for their involvement in a scheme to issue forged sick-leave certificates in exchange for money, according to a report published by Khaleej Times on October 17, 2026.
The case involved electronic medical documents that were reportedly issued without the required medical examinations, allowing some employees to claim paid leave from their employers.
How the Fraud Was Discovered
The case came to light after a private company noticed an increase in sudden and recurring sick-leave requests among some employees. The certificates carried digital stamps associated with the same clinic, prompting the company's human resources department to conduct an internal review and report its concerns to the authorities.
Investigators subsequently uncovered a suspected arrangement between the clinic clerk and private-sector employees to obtain sick-leave documents without undergoing the necessary medical assessments.
Backdated Certificates and Forged Digital Signatures
According to the report, the clerk used the clinic's electronic health portal to prepare backdated sick-leave certificates. The documents were also validated using forged digital signatures attributed to doctors.
The clerk reportedly received payments ranging from several hundred dirhams to more than Dh1,000 per certificate.
The documents enabled employees to take time off while continuing to receive their salaries, leaving employers to cover absences that had not been medically verified.
Court Rejects Defence Arguments
During the trial, the defence argued that the conduct could be considered an administrative lapse or unauthorised actions by employees.
However, the court rejected these arguments, finding that the defendants had deliberately falsified medical records and misused the clinic's electronic system.
The court imposed prison sentences of varying lengths on the clerk and the accomplices involved in the case. According to the report, expatriate defendants were also ordered to be deported after serving their sentences, while financial penalties and restitution were imposed.
Warning for Employers and Healthcare Providers
The case highlights the importance of protecting electronic medical records and verifying the authenticity of sick-leave certificates.
Employers are encouraged to follow appropriate verification procedures, while healthcare providers must ensure that medical documentation is issued through authorised processes and supported by proper assessments.
The case also underlines the legal consequences associated with document forgery, breach of trust and the misuse of electronic health systems.
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