UAE court rejects husband’s claim to recover dowry from late wife’s family

Dubai: A civil court in the UAE has rejected a husband’s lawsuit against a relative of his late wife, in which he demanded repayment of Dh40,000 he claimed was the outstanding portion of her dowry.

The husband argued that of the total dowry of Dh80,000, his wife received only Dh40,000—spent on jewellery and personal expenses—while the remainder stayed with the relative until her death.

He contended that the relative had repeatedly promised to return the money but failed to do so, prompting him to file suit seeking repayment with 9 per cent annual interest, along with legal fees and an additional Dh10,000 in compensation for financial and emotional harm to himself and his children.

The plaintiff pointed to the relative’s earlier admission before a reconciliation committee that he had received the dowry sum, but the court found that no evidence had been presented to prove the deceased wife had not received the money in full. Judges noted that the burden of proof lay with the claimant and that “the presumption is that debts do not exist unless proven.”

Concluding that the husband’s arguments rested on insufficient evidence, the court dismissed the case, ordering him to pay court fees and expenses.