A court awards compensation of Dh3.15 million after a Dubai judge ruled in favor of two business partners whose 15kg of 24‑carat gold was unlawfully taken. The ruling came after years of legal proceedings that ended with a criminal conviction for embezzlement. Besides the compensation, the defendant must pay 5% legal interest from the final judgment date until full payment. Additionally, the court ordered the man to cover all court fees and legal costs.
The case began when two business partners reported to police that someone had misappropriated gold entrusted to him. They claimed the missing 15kg of fine gold represented both investment and livelihood. Consequently, the public prosecution referred the case to the criminal courts. After trial, the judge found the defendant guilty of embezzlement. The conviction remained intact through all appeals, including the Court of Cassation.
Following the criminal ruling, the court ordered the defendant to serve six months in prison. The court also fined him Dh3.5 million to cover the gold’s actual value that remained unrecovered. After completing his sentence, the judge mandated that the defendant be deported. Legal experts said this sequence underscores the seriousness of financial crimes in the Emirates’ courts.
After the criminal judgment, the civil court moved to assess the partners’ compensation claim. Civil judges explained that under UAE law, liability requires fault, damage, and causal link between the two. Article 282 of the Civil Transactions Law defines these elements. It states that a harmful act occurs when someone exceeds expected standards, either intentionally or through negligence.
Moreover, the court noted that a criminal conviction binds the civil process on matters already decided. That means judges do not retry the conviction nor question the offender’s identity. Instead, the focus turns to calculating harm suffered by the claimants. In this case, the partners lost the value of their gold and the opportunity to benefit from or invest it.
In addition, the partners experienced moral damage from enduring lengthy legal proceedings and uncertainty over recovering their rights. The judges considered these harms when determining fair compensation. They explained that compensation decisions rest on judicial discretion, provided the reasoning relies on evidence in the case file.
Ultimately, the court awarded Dh3.15 million in damages. Along with interest and legal costs, this payout aims to restore the partners’ financial footing. Legal analysts said the judgment sends a clear message that courts will defend property rights and enforce accountability.
Commentators also pointed out that this case highlights how civil and criminal courts work together under UAE law to address fraud and embezzlement. They said the civil process directly followed the criminal conviction to streamline justice for victims.
