UAE: Al Ain court orders man to return Dh37,000 from mistaken transfer, pay Dh3,000 compensation

Abu Dhabi: A man has been ordered by the Al Ain Court for Civil, Commercial, and Administrative Claims to return Dh37,000 he unlawfully kept following an accidental bank transfer, along with Dh3,000 in compensation for damages.

The incident happened when a young man unexpectedly received a bank notification confirming the deposit of Dh57,000 into his account. He was soon contacted by the individual who had mistakenly made the transfer and was informed of the error. However, despite acknowledging the mistake, the recipient returned only Dh20,000 and retained the remaining amount.

The claimant subsequently filed a civil lawsuit demanding repayment of the outstanding Dh37,000 and additional compensation of Dh10,000 for material and moral damages. He also requested that the defendant bear all legal fees and court expenses.

Court found out that the defendant had unlawfully taken the claimant’s money. Despite being legally notified, the defendant failed to appear in court or appoint a legal representative.

Material, moral harm

In its ruling, the court confirmed that the evidence clearly supported the claimant’s case.

Addressing the compensation claim, the court referenced legal principles which state that harm caused to another party – when fault, damage, and causation are established – requires compensation.
The court found that the defendant’s actions led to both material harm, including the cost and effort of recovering the funds, and moral harm, such as stress and anxiety.

As a result, the court ordered the defendant to repay Dh37,000 and an additional Dh3,000 in compensation. He was also instructed to cover all legal costs and expenses related to the case.