In a recent UAE debt case, a man was cleared of an alleged Dh200,000 debt after he swore in court that he had never borrowed the amount from his friend. The ruling was issued by the Al Ain Court, which determined that the plaintiff's claim had no legal basis due to the absence of valid documentation.

The plaintiff had filed a lawsuit demanding repayment of Dh200,000, along with an additional Dh50,000 for alleged financial losses and legal fees. However, the claim lacked supporting evidence such as written or electronic loan agreements. Instead, the plaintiff relied solely on a witness testimony.

The defendant's lawyer argued that, under Article 66 of Law No 35 of 2022, witness testimony is not admissible as evidence for financial claims exceeding Dh50,000 without written proof. The court accepted this argument and found no legitimate reason why the plaintiff failed to provide loan documentation.

With no material evidence available, the plaintiff requested that the defendant be subjected to a decisive oath — a practice under Shariah and UAE laws when a financial dispute lacks proof. The defendant swore before the court: “I swear by Almighty God that I did not borrow Dh200,000 from the plaintiff and am not liable for the amount claimed. God is my witness.”

Under UAE law, a decisive oath is considered a conclusive resolution in cases without evidence, relying on the conscience of the accused party. After the oath was taken, the court dismissed the case and ordered the plaintiff to pay all court fees and expenses as per Article 133 of the Civil Procedure Law.

This ruling reinforces the importance of proper documentation in debt recovery claims and financial disputes under UAE law, emphasizing that oral testimony alone is insufficient to establish liability in high-value claims.

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