Man wins Dh170,000 in Abu Dhabi Court after friend fails to return loan

Abu Dhabi: An Abu Dhabi court has ruled in favour of a man who sued his friend for failing to return Dh150,000 entrusted to him, ordering the defendant to repay the amount along with Dh20,000 in compensation for material and moral damages.

According to Emarat Al Youm, the case was brought before the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court after the claimant submitted a signed trust receipt showing that the defendant had received the sum with the understanding that it would be returned upon request. Despite repeated attempts to recover the money, the defendant refused to repay it.

The court found that the defendant failed to appear or present any evidence to contest the claim or prove that he did not owe the amount. In its ruling, the court affirmed that the defendant remained legally bound to return the funds.

In assessing the compensation, the court noted that under civil law, anyone who causes harm to another is liable for the resulting damage. It found that the defendant’s failure to return the funds constituted a clear breach of trust, causing financial loss to the claimant and emotional distress.

The judgment obliges the defendant to pay the Dh150,000 along with Dh20,000 in damages, in addition to legal fees and court expenses. All other claims were dismissed.