MUSCAT: The Primary Court in Al Buraimi recently issued a judicial verdict convicting the owner of a travel and tourism office after it was proven that he was involved in cases related to forgery, fraud and operating an unlicensed establishment.
This came as a result of the efforts made by the Consumer Protection Department in Al Buraimi Governorate in investigating a complaint filed by a female consumer.
A consumer had contacted the office to book travel tickets and transferred the required amounts. However, shortly before the travel date, she received a call from the office owner informing her that the tickets had been cancelled. When she attempted to verify the booking with the airline, she discovered that the tickets were fake, prompting her to file a complaint with the department.
The department took the necessary legal measures and referred the complaint to the Public Prosecution, which in turn transferred it to the competent court. The court sentenced the defendant to three months imprisonment for the misdemeanour of forging a private document, another three months imprisonment and a fine of RO 300 for the misdemeanour of fraud, and fined him RO 400 for the misdemeanour of opening and operating a travel and tourism office without a licence.
He was also sentenced to two months imprisonment and fined RO 300 for the misdemeanour of failing to provide the service in a proper manner consistent with its nature. The penalties were consolidated, and the harshest — the second misdemeanour — is to be enforced, in addition to ordering the closure of his shop, which was the instrument of the crime.
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