Man Ordered to Repay Dh15,850 for Faking Jailed Husband’s Release

An Abu Dhabi court has ordered a man convicted of fraud to repay more than Dh15,800 to a woman he deceived by falsely claiming he could secure her husband’s release from prison, reaffirming the judiciary’s strict approach to exploiting personal hardship for financial gain.

The Abu Dhabi Family and Civil, Administrative Claims Court ruled that the defendant must return Dh15,850 obtained through fraudulent representations and pay an additional Dh1,500 as compensation for the material and moral harm suffered by the claimant.

The woman filed a civil case after the man persuaded her to hand over the money by promising to intervene on her husband’s behalf. The lawsuit followed a criminal case in which the defendant was convicted of fraud and fined, with the judgment becoming final.

In its reasoning, the court said the final criminal conviction conclusively established the fraudulent act, its legal character and the defendant’s responsibility, leaving no scope to dispute liability in the related civil proceedings. The defendant failed to appear in court or submit any evidence showing the money had been repaid or the dispute settled.

Addressing the compensation claim, the court referred to the Civil Transactions Law, which obliges any person who causes harm to another to remedy that damage. The judges found that the woman had suffered a clear financial loss as well as emotional distress arising from the deception.

The court concluded that the defendant’s conduct resulted in both material damage and moral suffering, warranting compensation. It ordered the repayment of the full amount taken, Dh1,500 in damages, and payment of court fees and legal costs.

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