A UAE court has cleared a municipal tanker driver of all charges in a road accident case, ruling that the victim was solely responsible for the collision after a months-long legal battle.
In its April 27, 2026 decision, the Khor Fakkan Court of Appeals overturned earlier rulings and acquitted the driver of negligent injury and failure to stop and assist.
The case initially led to a conviction by the Court of First Instance in September 2025, which imposed a Dh2,000 fine. On appeal, the sentence was increased to three months in prison before being overturned by the Court of Cassation in March 2026 due to gaps in legal reasoning, prompting a retrial.
Court records showed the incident occurred on September 9, 2025 in Dibba Al Hisn, when the driver was moving a sewage suction truck after completing work. A 76-year-old pedestrian suddenly emerged from behind a parked vehicle and attempted to cross the road from an unauthorized area, entering the truck’s path.
Investigations found the driver’s view was obstructed by a blind spot and that the vehicle was operating lawfully at the time.
The defense, led by Mohammed Al Awami Al Mansoori, argued that the driver had no knowledge of the collision due to the size and noise of the vehicle and only learned of the incident after being contacted by police.
The court agreed, citing the legal principle of causation and ruling that the pedestrian’s actions were a serious and unexpected error that directly caused the accident.
Judges said the victim’s conduct broke any causal link to the driver’s actions and emphasized that criminal liability must be based on certainty, not doubt.
All previous rulings were nullified, with the court declaring the driver not guilty of all charges.
