Abu Dhabi court orders man to return Dh8,700 after fake work visa promise

A man who claimed he could secure a UAE work visa and kept the payment without delivering, was ordered to repay the full amount plus 4% annual interest from the date the lawsuit was filed

Abu Dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Court ruled that a man must return Dh8,700 to a young man, after he deceived him into believing that he could obtain a work visa for him and enable him to work within the country, before failing to implement what was agreed upon and keeping the money for himself.

In detail, a young man filed a lawsuit against a man, demanding that he be obligated to return Dh8,700, plus legal interest at a rate of 9% per annum from the date of filing the lawsuit until full payment, in addition to obligating him to pay the fees, expenses, and attorney's fees.

He pointed out that he was looking for a job opportunity within the country, and that the defendant misled him by claiming he could obtain a work visa for him and enable him to work for him. Based on that, he transferred the amount claimed to him, but he did not implement what was agreed upon, did not obtain a work visa for him, and kept the amount he received and did not return it to him despite his repeated amicable demands for it.

The defendant or his representative did not appear, despite the fact that he had been notified.

For its part, the court explained in its ruling that it was established that the defendant received Dh8,700 from the plaintiff, but he failed to prove that he had fulfilled the purpose for which he received the money, nor did he prove that there was any legal reason justifying his keeping it or returning it to the plaintiff.

The court indicated that the defendant's continued possession of the money lacked any legitimate basis, and he remained liable to the plaintiff for this amount. Therefore, the lawsuit was based on sound legal and factual grounds.

Regarding the claim for legal interest, the court indicated that the defendant’s debt was proven, and that the amount claimed was of a specific amount, and he had failed to pay it on the agreed date. Therefore, the plaintiff is entitled to interest as a penalty for the debtor’s delay in payment, and as compensation for the delay in fulfilling the debt, considering it as a remedy for the damage.

The court ruled that the defendant must pay the plaintiff Dh8,700, plus legal interest on the awarded amount at a rate of 4% from the date the lawsuit was filed until full payment, not exceeding the original amount awarded, and obligating him to pay the fees and expenses.