The Dubai Civil Court of First Instance has ordered a man to pay Dh2,347,000 to a lender after it was proven that he deliberately altered a cheque to prevent it from being cashed. The court also awarded Dh50,000 in compensation for financial and emotional damages. Court documents show that the claimant filed a lawsuit seeking repayment of the Dh2.347 million cheque, along with legal interest, fees, expenses, and Dh600,000 in compensation. The claimant stated that the defendant owed him the amount and had issued a cheque, which the bank later refused to honor after discovering discrepancies between the numeric and written amounts, a deliberate alteration that invalidated the cheque. The case was first reported to police, resulting in a criminal conviction for issuing a cheque in a way that prevents it from being honored, with the defendant fined Dh234,746. The defendant failed to provide evidence of any commercial dispute or justification for withholding payment. In its ruling, the court ordered the defendant to pay the full Dh2,347,000, plus 5% annual interest from the due date until full payment, Dh50,000 in compensation, and cover all court fees, expenses, and legal costs. After repeated attempts to recover the money, the claimant filed a civil case citing financial loss and emotional distress. The defendant’s lawyer argued for dismissal, claiming the lawsuit was not filed via a payment order and requested suspension pending appeal of the criminal verdict. Alternatively, he sought the appointment of a financial expert, asserting that the cheque was a security instrument. The court rejected these arguments, stating that under UAE law, a cheque is presumed a legitimate debt unless proven otherwise.
