Dubai’s Highest Court Asked To Review Ruling On Dispute Between Local Bank And International Investor

A Cayman Islands-based investor concerned in logistics tasks around the globe has filed a request to Dubai’s highest courtroom asking it to rethink a ruling which noticed it lose a multi-million-dollar declare for missed curiosity funds from an area financial institution.

The complicated case dates again to November 2017, when $497 million belonging to The Port Fund was frozen at a department of Noor Financial institution in Dubai, the business capital of the United Arab Emirates. The cash remained frozen for nearly 15 months, till February 2019.

The cash represented the proceeds of a improvement challenge within the Philippines referred to as Sabah Al-Ahmad International Gateway Logistics Metropolis. This was bought in 2017, with the quantity transferred to the checking account in Dubai. The cash was frozen following a request from authorities in Kuwait who claimed there was a danger of embezzlement; Kuwait’s curiosity stemmed from the truth that the fund’s shareholders included the Kuwait Port Authority (KPA) and the Public Establishment for Social Safety

Lack of curiosity

Port Hyperlink, the final companion of The Port Fund, later sued Noor Financial institution to say curiosity on the frozen funds, searching for $13.2 million in curiosity funds.

The Central Financial institution of the UAE initially ordered Noor Financial institution to pay that sum in curiosity, however Noor Financial institution objected and a succession of courtroom circumstances and appeals adopted.

Courtroom-appointed consultants within the UAE later stated Noor Financial institution ought to pay $9.5 million in curiosity for the interval when the funds had been frozen. In July final 12 months, an attraction courtroom agreed with that view, on the idea that Noor Financial institution had been instructed in November 2017 by the central financial institution to freeze the cash in an account that paid curiosity.

Noor Financial institution subsequently appealed to the Dubai Courtroom of Cassation – the very best courtroom within the emirate – arguing that, as a Sharia-compliant financial institution, it shouldn’t pay curiosity.

On December 22, the Courtroom of Cassation issued its ruling, largely siding with Noor Financial institution and deciding that the financial institution ought to pay $33,371 in curiosity funds – a determine based mostly on the curiosity due for a seven-day interval.

“We’re upset within the courtroom’s ruling,” stated Andrew Childe, an impartial director of Port Hyperlink GP. “The Cassation Courtroom appears to have disregarded the UAE Central Banks directive, regardless of the court-appointed consultants, in session with the UAE Central Financial institution, giving clear steerage that curiosity was due for the whole 14 months.”

“The Cassation Courtroom’s choice to overturn the ruling of the Appeals Courtroom, and to reject the proof of its personal consultants and the UAE Central Financial institution is obscure,” he added. “This actually places a query mark on transferring massive sums by Dubai.”

Legal professionals appearing for the Port Fund stated they filed a request with the Cassation Courtroom on January 20, asking it to rethink its verdict. A ruling on whether or not this software is admissible is anticipated within the subsequent couple of weeks. Whether it is allowed, a remaining choice on the matter might take a number of extra months.

Dubai Islamic Financial institution – which purchased Noor Financial institution in January 2020 – had not responded to questions from Forbes for this text by the point of publication.