WhatsApp messages help lender recover Dh120,000 after borrower ignores repayment requests

WhatsApp messages and two bank transfers helped an Abu Dhabi lender prove that a Dh120,000 emergency loan remained unpaid. The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court ordered the borrower to return the full amount and pay Dh15,000 in compensation.

The lender told the court that the borrower had requested the money after an unexpected emergency and promised to repay it. The payments were made in two instalments, Dh20,000 followed by Dh100,000. When repayment was due, the lender said, the borrower began avoiding calls and messages.

The lender filed a civil lawsuit seeking the return of the money and compensation for being deprived of its use. As evidence, he submitted receipts for both bank transfers and WhatsApp conversations in which the borrower acknowledged receiving the funds and repeatedly promised to pay them back.

The borrower admitted receiving the full Dh120,000. He said he had borrowed it because of an emergency and had always intended to repay it, but argued that the parties had never agreed on a specific repayment date. He denied refusing to pay and attributed the delay to further financial difficulties. He asked the court to reject any claim beyond the original debt and dismiss the compensation request.

The court found that the admission, transfer receipts and messages clearly established the debt and showed it remained unpaid. Judges said a person cannot retain someone else's money without a legal reason and must return what they received. They also ruled that withholding the money deprived the lender of its use and caused emotional distress.