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RAK panel settles 70 cases in 3 months

The Reconciliation Committee of the Ras Al Khaimah Courts has managed to amicably settle litigation between a man and a woman over a loan of Dh410,000.

Three years ago, the Arab woman lent the man, also Arab, the money after he promised to marry her. Later, he broke all his promises and neither did he marry the woman nor pay the money back. The case was taken to the court, where it was first heard by the Settlement Committee, which managed to arrange repayment of the money to the woman.

Meanwhile, the Settlement Committee, formed in 1993, managed to amicably settle around 70 family, commercial and real estate litigations in the first three months of this year.

Chief Judge Ahmed Al Khatiri, Chairman of the RAK Courts, said these were against 346 various cases the committee heard over the same period last month. “The committee this way does help the courts by saving time.”

Head of the committee Abdullah Al Shaiba said they had settled many difficult and complicated disputes, including pardoning a killer, and transposing the death sentence issued against him with an increased diya (blood money).

The committee addressed the people concerned according to their customs, traditions and social backgrounds, he said.

“The committee, considering the tribal nature of the emirate, is tolerantly dealing with the spirit of the law rather than literally and harshly enforcing its articles. The committee consists of three specialised, well known and renowned members, and that helped defuse litigations.”

The technique of reconciliation differs from one case to another according to the nature of the disputes and complexity of its incidents.

“Some cases are dealt with by the Director of the RAK Courts himself whereas others are handled by the head of the personal status circuit. Some cases are, however, referred to the judges, public prosecutors, attorney-general and counsellors.”

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com