The lawyer of a government employee, who allegedly altered data to give a hotel in Manama a four-star rating, yesterday stated that his client should not be punished for giving what he believes to be ‘a subjective opinion’.
He stated that his client, who is facing trial at the High Criminal Court for electronic fraud, was a ‘diligent worker’ and who had been employed by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) for seven years without causing any problems.
“The hotel had been a four-star accommodation ever since it was officially opened nearly 20 years ago,” he told the court.
“It had never once been rated below four stars, so I fail to see how it would just suddenly drop in ratings overnight.
“Most of the facilities, including the prayer rooms, swimming pool and bathrooms are the same as they have been for years when it was rated four stars, and they have been maintained well, so why would they lose points?”
The lawyer also stated that the BTEA has several inspectors, and that each one’s way of doing things needs to be taken into consideration.
“Every inspector has different standards,” he said. “What might be four stars for one, might be three stars for another.
“The accused thought, based on his experience and knowledge, that the accommodation and its facilities were worthy of a four-star rating.
“The secondary inspectors probably had different standards, which is why they rated the hotel lower.”
He also stated that the accused has been a loyal employee to the authority ever since he joined in 2017, and has never once caused any issues with either clients or coworkers.
Additionally, he stated that the accused had never even met the hotel owner or staff prior to the investigation, and would thus have no motive for rating the establishment as high as he did.
The accused also spoke to those present at the High Criminal Court, highlighting his clean record.
“I graduated from the UK with both a bachelors and masters in my field,” he said.
“I have also worked diligently for the BTEA, and I have been loyal to my work.
“During my seven years as a government employee, I have never caused any trouble for anybody, and I just kept my head down and did my absolute best.”
The accused was arrested in December for reportedly forging official documents and an inspection report of the hotel in Manama and entered them into BTEA’s system.
The Financial Investigation Directorate was alerted after discrepancies were found in the data.
An investigation was launched and testimonies were collected from witnesses, including the owner of the hotel.
It revealed that the data had indeed been tampered with, and the accused was confronted with the evidence.
During a previous trial, an inspector who conducted a secondary inspection revealed some discrepancies including the size of the pool, which was believed to have been overstated.
The witness also said that the hotel was required to get a set amount of points in order to qualify as a four-star accommodation but fell well short of the required score. The case has been adjourned until the end of the month.
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