Abu Dhabi court orders man to repay Dh486,000 over forged cheques

The Abu Dhabi Commercial Court of First Instance has ordered a man to repay Dh486,124 to a bank after cashing nine forged cheques, ruling that the funds were obtained without legal basis.

Judges also ordered the defendant to pay Dh30,000 in compensation, finding that the bank’s payment of the forged cheques amounted to an undue payment that resulted in unjust enrichment.

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The case was brought by the bank, which sought more than Dh516,000, along with compensation for financial and moral damages, Emarat Al Youm reported.  It said the cheques had been proven to be forged under a prior court ruling and that it had been required to reimburse the account holder.

A court-appointed expert confirmed that 10 cheques were forged, nine of which were cashed over a one-year period, totalling Dh486,124. The court excluded one cheque that had not been encashed.

The defendant argued he was unaware the cheques were forged and sought to add another party to the case, but the court rejected both claims, noting he was the direct beneficiary of the funds.

The court ruled that forged cheques lose their legal validity as commercial instruments, entitling the bank to recover the amounts paid. It ordered repayment with 3 per cent annual interest until full settlement, along with legal costs.