The Dubai Primary Civil Court ordered five defendants to reimburse a sum of 600,000 dirhams they stole from a man after impersonating detectives at night, in addition to 50,000 dirhams as compensation for material and moral damages, and legal interest at a rate of 5% from the date the lawsuit was filed.
In detail, the victim filed a civil suit demanding the defendants jointly pay the amount of 600,000 dirhams they seized, the legal interest, and compensation of 150,000 dirhams, relying on a previous criminal judgment that convicted the defendants of stealing the same amount after impersonating police officers. He stated that the defendants stopped him at night beside an office in a commercial area, showed him a military card, and deceived him into believing they were detectives, then searched him and took his phone, cards, and bag containing 600,000 dirhams, before asking him to wait "until another force arrives," and then they fled.
The relevant authorities moved immediately after the report, identified the defendants, arrested them, and referred them to the Public Prosecution, which conducted the necessary investigations with them, and referred them to the criminal court, where they were sentenced to six months in prison, fined 600,000 dirhams, and deported from the country.
After the judgment became final and irrevocable, the victim turned to civil justice and submitted a memorandum that included a certificate from the Public Prosecution about the finality of the judgment, while the defendants did not attend despite being legally notified, so the court considered the judgment as if in presence, and confirmed that the criminal judgment issued against them gained the necessary authority that binds the civil court to the facts and attribution established in it.
The court mentioned in its rationale that the criminal judgment necessarily decided on the incident of theft and its legal description, attributed to the defendants, thus precluding its reconsideration in civil court according to the laws of evidence and criminal procedure, confirming that the defendants' responsibility is established.
It pointed out that the plaintiff suffered direct material damage by being deprived of the use of the amount and its loss, in addition to moral damage represented in the suffering and anxiety caused by the crime, making the compensation claim based on a correct basis.
It concluded with ordering the defendants to jointly refund the amount of 600,000 dirhams, with legal interest at a rate of 5% from the date of the claim until payment, and obligating them to pay compensation of 50,000 dirhams for the damages, and rejecting other claims.
