Man to repay ex-wife Dh200,000 after fingerprint evidence found

Fujairah: A fingerprint has settled a long-running financial dispute between a man and his former wife at the Fujairah Federal Court, after a forensic report confirmed that the print found beneath a Dh200,000 debt acknowledgement belonged to the defendant, Emarat Al Youm reported.

The court ordered him to repay the full amount, along with 9 per cent  simple interest per year from the date the civil claim was filed until full settlement. Case documents state that the woman had lent her former husband Dh200,000 during their marriage under a signed debt acknowledgement stamped with his fingerprint, confirming he had received the money as a loan and that he would repay it on demand.

She had initially sought recovery through a personal status claim in Fujairah, but the defendant challenged the authenticity of the acknowledgement. A forensic laboratory report, however, confirmed that the fingerprint on the document matched his own.

The dispute began in the Personal Status Court, which ruled in the former wife’s favour. The Court of Appeal upheld the decision before it was later overturned on procedural grounds, as personal status courts lack jurisdiction over civil debt claims. The woman then refiled the case before the competent civil court.

Court records show she issued a legal notice demanding repayment, and both parties were referred to mediation without success. During hearings, the defendant’s lawyer requested dismissal and submitted documents, including an unrelated 2009 judgment, in support of his arguments. The claimant, through her representative, maintained her demand.

In its judgment, the court explained that a written or fingerprint-sealed acknowledgement constitutes a valid declaration of debt and is binding unless disproved by stronger evidence. Since the forensic report conclusively attributed the fingerprint to the defendant, the court found that he had indeed received the Dh200,000 as a loan and committed to repaying it.

The court therefore ordered him to pay the full amount, in addition to 9 per cent annual compensatory interest under Federal Decree-Law No. 50 of 2022. He was also ordered to pay court fees, expenses, and Dh200 in legal fees.