The UAE Court obliges a man to repay a woman DH750,000 for a deception case
The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil, and Administrative Claims Court has rendered a verdict compelling a previously convicted individual, charged with fraud, to reimburse a woman 700,000 dirhams.
This sum was acquired through deception, as he purported to operate a fictitious charity aimed at aiding the underprivileged. Additionally, the court has decreed a further payment of 50,000 dirhams to compensate for both the material and emotional suffering endured by the plaintiff.
In the intricate details of the case, the plaintiff initiated legal proceedings against the defendant, demanding restitution of the unlawfully acquired 700,000 dirhams and seeking compensation totaling 500,000 dirhams for the damages inflicted. The defendant, masquerading as a charitable worker, solicited zakat funds from the plaintiff, falsely asserting intentions to allocate these monies through a fabricated charitable organisation under his control.
Subsequently, the plaintiff also engaged in real estate and automotive transactions with the defendant, who failed to fulfil his end of the agreement, leading to suspicions regarding his trustworthiness. Upon discovering the defendant's history of fraudulent activities and previous convictions, the plaintiff took legal action, resulting in a criminal conviction against the defendant.
In its ruling, the court affirmed the defendant's guilt, as established in the criminal verdict, which conclusively proved his deception and subsequent harm to the plaintiff. Citing the Civil Transactions Law, the court mandated the restitution of the misappropriated 700,000 dirhams to the plaintiff, as no legitimate grounds for retaining the funds were found.
Addressing the plaintiff's claim for material and emotional damages, the court invoked provisions of the Civil Transactions Law, emphasising the perpetrator's obligation to compensate for any harm inflicted. Considering the plaintiff's deprivation of the misused funds and the ensuing emotional distress, the court deemed 50,000 dirhams to be a sufficient sum for both material and emotional reparation. Consequently, the court ordered the defendant to pay a total of 750,000 dirhams to the plaintiff, inclusive of legal fees and expenses, while dismissing any additional claims.
