The Abu Dhabi Commercial Court of First Instance has ordered Bank of Barid to refund a client Dh13,569 in unjustified credit card fees and return his guarantee cheque, effectively clearing him of any remaining debt.
The dispute began when the client sued the bank, seeking Dh129,821 in compensation, alleging that it had charged unauthorized interest and fees on his credit card. The bank, represented by its legal counsel, denied the allegations and urged the court to dismiss the case.
A court-appointed banking expert examined the client’s account and found that after the credit card was rescheduled, the client made purchases amounting to Dh72,349 and repaid Dh88,314. The expert determined that the bank’s interest calculation totaled Dh2,395 and concluded that the client had overpaid by Dh13,569. The court accepted this finding, citing the expert’s detailed and credible assessment.
The court also ruled in favor of the client’s request to recover a Dh71,000 guarantee cheque submitted as collateral for the bank’s facilities. After confirming that the account had been fully settled, the court ordered the bank to return the cheque.
In its final verdict, the court directed Bank of Barid to refund Dh13,569 to the client, issue a clearance confirming full settlement of the credit card debt, return the Dh71,000 guarantee cheque, and shoulder court fees and Dh200 in legal costs. All other claims made by the client were dismissed.
