Man to pay Dh60k for threat to kill ex-wife

An Abu Dhabi resident, who spread rumours about his ex-wife through Whatsapp messages and also threatened to kill her and her father, has been ordered to pay Dh60,000 to the family.

Official court documents stated that the Arab father filed a lawsuit against his daughter’s ex-husband, demanding that he pay him Dh1 million in compensation for the material and moral damages he suffered due to the threats.

He said his daughter and the defendant had separated some three years ago after irreconcilable differences, but the man continued to harass his ex-wife even after divorce by threatening her and spreading malicious rumors about her.

He claimed the man defamed his daughter and described her in the most horrific way through posts on various social media platforms, which damaged her reputation. He said he sometimes used a Whatsapp phone number of a foreign country.

The couple had five children from their marriage.

The father said in his lawsuit that his ex-son-in-law also went on to threaten him and his family. He said the man sent Whatsapp messages claiming that he would kill him and hurt his family in revenge for his daughter divorcing him.

The father-in-law said that besides offending his honour, the threatening messages hurt his feelings and caused fear and emotional pain to him and his family.

The family had earlier reported the matter to police, and prosecutors charged the defendant with defamation and threatened to kill his ex-wife and father.

The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court of First Instance had earlier fined him Dh30,000 after he was found guilty on all counts.

The father then went to the Abu Dhabi Court for Family and Civil and Administrative Claims and filed a civil lawsuit against him demanding compensation.

After hearing all parties, the judge ordered the man to pay his ex-father-in-law Dh60,000 in compensation for the moral and material damages he caused him and his family. The defendant will also pay for the plaintiff ’s legal expenses.