Inheritance case : Family wins properties worth Dh170 million in Abu Dhabi

Inheritance case : Family wins Dh170 million in Abu Dhabi

The heirs of a man who had registered his company and other properties – worth Dh170 million – in the name of his sponsor and partner, have won the battle over the rights to their relative’s inheritance.

The Abu Dhabi Cassation Court has cancelled earlier rulings by lower courts that ruled against the family’s claim over the property of their late father.

The judge ordered that the properties that included a transport company, houses and cars, all worth Dh170 million, be distributed equally among the sponsor and the man’s legitimate heirs including his wife and children.

Official court documents stated that the deceased had trusted his partner and sponsor and registered his company’s trade license and all his properties with the Abu Dhabi Municipality in his name. The pair was paying Dh200,000 annually for the trade license.

But after the man’s death, the sponsor, who had only a few share in the business, took the advantage of the company and properties being registered in his name and grabbed everything. He didn’t give any property or money to the deceased’s legitimate heirs including his children and wife despite asking him to hand over their inheritance to them.

The family then filed a law suit against the man at the Abu Dhabi Commercial Court demanding that the man hands over their inheritance to them and to also have it registered in their names. They also presented documents showing that their relative owned majority shares in the company and the properties.

Both the courts of first instance and the appeal court dismissed the case.

The family appealed to Abu Dhabi’s top court which cancelled the earlier rulings and ordered the man to handover the properties to the legitimate heirs.