Criminal Complaint Letter (UAE)

A Criminal Complaint Letter in the United Arab Emirates is a formal written document submitted by a victim or witness of an alleged criminal offence to the UAE police or the Public Prosecution, requesting that the matter be investigated and that the accused be prosecuted under the applicable criminal law. Governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 on Criminal Procedures — which replaced the former Federal Law No. 35 of 1992 and substantially modernised UAE criminal procedure — the criminal complaint letter triggers the formal criminal investigation process in the UAE.

The UAE criminal justice system is headed by the Public Prosecution, an independent constitutional body established under the UAE Constitution and Federal Law No. 3 of 1996 on the Federal Public Prosecution. The Public Prosecution has the exclusive authority to decide whether to initiate criminal proceedings against an accused person based on the investigation file compiled by the police. The police — including Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police, and the other emirate police forces — are the primary point of contact for receiving criminal complaints. They investigate the complaint, compile the investigation file, and refer it to the Public Prosecution for a charging decision.

The substantive criminal law applicable to most private criminal complaints in the UAE is the UAE Penal Code — Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021 — which replaced the former Federal Law No. 3 of 1987. The Penal Code defines the elements of criminal offences including fraud (Article 451), embezzlement and breach of trust (Articles 453–456), forgery (Articles 253–265), threats and extortion (Articles 390–393), and defamation and insult (Articles 423–431). Financial crimes involving dishonoured cheques are governed by the Commercial Transactions Law — Federal Decree-Law No. 50 of 2022 — and by the UAE Penal Code provisions on financial fraud. Cyber crimes are addressed separately under Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Cybercrimes.

The criminal complaint letter should be distinguished from a civil claim for compensation. A criminal complaint initiates state prosecution of the accused; the state bears the burden of proving the offence beyond reasonable doubt. The complainant may simultaneously or subsequently pursue a civil claim for compensation through the civil courts, or include a civil claim within the criminal proceedings as a 'personal right' claim under Article 10 of Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022. In practice, many financial victims in the UAE — those defrauded, victims of dishonoured cheques, or victims of embezzlement — use the criminal complaint process as a faster and more powerful mechanism than civil litigation, because an arrest warrant or a travel ban imposed by the Public Prosecution often prompts the accused to settle the financial dispute before trial.

A criminal complaint letter should not be filed if the complainant is uncertain about the facts or is making allegations that are not based on genuine belief. Filing a false criminal complaint — one known to be untrue at the time of filing — is itself a criminal offence under Article 276 of the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021) and can result in prosecution of the person who filed it.

A Criminal Complaint Letter in the United Arab Emirates is needed when a person has been the victim of, or witness to, an alleged criminal offence and wishes to trigger the formal criminal investigation process by the UAE police and Public Prosecution under Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 on Criminal Procedures.

A criminal complaint is required for cheque bounce offences. Under the Commercial Transactions Law — Federal Decree-Law No. 50 of 2022 — and the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021), drawing a cheque on insufficient funds or a closed account is a criminal offence. The payee must file a criminal complaint with the police, supported by the dishonoured cheque and the bank's return notice, to initiate prosecution. The complaint must generally be filed within the limitation period applicable to financial instruments.

A criminal complaint is filed for fraud and financial deception. Under Article 451 of the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021), obtaining money or property by deception or misrepresentation is punishable by imprisonment. Victims of investment fraud, advance-fee scams, or misrepresentation in commercial transactions file a criminal complaint with Dubai Police or Abu Dhabi Police supported by the documentary evidence of the deception.

A criminal complaint is needed for breach of trust and embezzlement. Where an employee, business partner, or agent has misappropriated funds or property entrusted to them, a criminal complaint under Articles 453–456 of the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021) initiates prosecution. Employers who have suffered internal fraud by an employee are among the most frequent filers of this category of complaint.

A criminal complaint is filed for cyber crimes under Federal Decree-Law No. 34 of 2021 on Combating Cybercrimes, covering hacking, online defamation, identity theft, unlawful access to computer systems, and electronic fraud. These complaints are typically directed to the Dubai Police e-Crime Unit or the equivalent cyber crime units of other emirate police forces.

A criminal complaint is also required for assault, threats, and defamation, triggering the UAE Penal Code provisions on personal safety offences (Articles 386–393 on threats) and honour offences (Articles 423–431 on defamation and insult).

A Criminal Complaint Letter submitted to UAE police or the Public Prosecution must contain specific elements to be registered, investigated, and effectively acted upon under Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 on Criminal Procedures.

Complainant Identification: The full legal name, Emirates ID or passport number, nationality, residential address, and mobile phone number of the complainant. Under Articles 1–5 of Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022, the identity of the complainant must be established before the complaint is registered. Anonymous complaints may be investigated at the discretion of the police but do not give the complainant formal standing as a victim in the proceedings.

Accused Identification: The full name, Emirates ID or passport number (if known), last known address, and any other identifying details of the accused person or entity. Where the accused is unknown, a description of the person or the circumstances should be provided to assist the police investigation.

Reporting Authority: The specific police station or prosecution office to which the complaint is directed. In Dubai, most complaints are directed to the nearest Dubai Police station or to a specialised unit — the Economic Crimes Unit for financial offences, the e-Crime Unit for cyber crimes. In Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Police handle most complaints; in commercial financial disputes, the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution has a dedicated intake.

Type and Date of Offence: The category of the alleged criminal offence and the date on which it occurred or was first discovered. Identifying the type of offence helps the police route the complaint to the specialist investigation unit — Economic Crimes, CID, or the relevant department.

Factual Description: A specific, chronological, factual account of what occurred, including dates, locations, amounts of money involved, the nature of the accused's conduct, and how the complainant was harmed. The description should be factual rather than legal; avoid characterising conduct as 'illegal' or citing specific law articles — the police and prosecution are trained to identify the applicable offence.

Evidence Available: A description of all evidence in the complainant's possession — dishonoured cheques, contracts, bank statements, correspondence, witness details, electronic records — because the strength of the investigation depends on the quality of the evidence provided.

Relief Requested: A statement of the action the complainant is requesting — registration of the complaint, investigation, and referral to the Public Prosecution; imposition of a travel ban; or preservation of specific evidence. The forms-legal.com template structures each section clearly.

Signature: The complainant must sign the complaint and confirm that the statements are truthful to the best of their knowledge, as a false complaint is itself a criminal offence under Article 276 of the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021).

Completing a Criminal Complaint Letter for submission to UAE police or the Public Prosecution requires care in describing the facts accurately and ensuring all relevant evidence is identified and attached.

Step one is to identify the correct reporting authority. For most offences in Dubai, the complaint is filed at the nearest Dubai Police station or at the relevant specialised unit — Economic Crimes Unit (for financial fraud, embezzlement, and cheque bounce), e-Crime Unit (for cyber crimes), or the General Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for other offences. For Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Police handle most complaints, with referral to the Abu Dhabi Public Prosecution for charging decisions. The complaint can also be submitted directly to the Public Prosecution in the relevant emirate in some cases.

Step two is to enter the complainant's full details — name, Emirates ID or passport number, nationality, address, and phone number. Accuracy is essential: the police will use these details to contact the complainant for follow-up, witness interviews, and to notify of any travel ban application or arrest.

Step three is to enter the accused's details to the extent known. If the accused is unknown, describe the circumstances that led to the offence and any identifying information available — vehicle registration, phone numbers, email addresses.

Step four is to select the type of offence and record the date it occurred or was first discovered. For cheque bounce, the relevant date is the date of dishonour as shown on the bank return notice. For ongoing fraud, the date the complainant first became aware of the deception is typically used.

Step five is to draft the description of the offence. Use numbered paragraphs in chronological order. Start with the background relationship between the parties (if any), describe the specific conduct alleged, state the dates and amounts involved, and explain the harm suffered. Avoid legal conclusions; describe what happened in factual terms.

Step six is to list the evidence available and attach copies — dishonoured cheque, bank return notice, contract, bank statement, screenshots of messages, and witness contact details.

Step seven is to state the action requested — typically, register the complaint and refer it to the Public Prosecution for investigation and prosecution — and to sign the complaint confirming the accuracy of the statements.

Step eight is to submit the complaint in person at the police station or through the online platform — Dubai Police can receive complaints through their website and app, and Abu Dhabi Police through the ADJD portal and Abu Dhabi Police app. Retain the complaint registration number (the police report number) as this is needed for all subsequent follow-up.

A Criminal Complaint Letter in the United Arab Emirates must comply with the requirements of Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 on Criminal Procedures, which governs the initiation, investigation, and prosecution of criminal offences in the UAE.

Right to complain: Under Articles 1–10 of Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022, any person who is a victim of a criminal offence has the right to file a complaint with the police or the Public Prosecution. The Public Prosecution has the independent authority to initiate criminal proceedings even without a complaint for public order offences, but most private criminal complaints require the victim to formally trigger the process.

Personal right claim: Under Article 10 of Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022, a victim may include a civil compensation claim — called the 'personal right' claim — within the criminal proceedings. This allows the victim to pursue both criminal prosecution and financial compensation in the same set of proceedings before the criminal court, without needing to file a separate civil action. The personal right claim must be filed at the earliest stage of the criminal proceedings.

False complaints: Under Article 276 of the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021), filing a false criminal complaint with full knowledge of its falsity is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment and a fine. Complainants must ensure their complaint is based on genuine belief and accurate facts.

Limitation periods: Criminal complaint time limits apply in the UAE for certain categories of offence. Under the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021) and Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022, the prescription period for criminal prosecution varies by offence severity — felonies prescribe after twenty years; misdemeanours after three to five years; contraventions after one year. For financial instruments such as dishonoured cheques, the Commercial Transactions Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 50 of 2022) sets specific time limits that must be observed.

Criminal liability of companies: Under the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021), legal entities — companies and partnerships — can be held criminally liable for offences committed in their name or for their benefit. Where the accused is a company, the complaint should identify the company and its responsible officers.

Travel bans: The Public Prosecution has authority under Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 to impose travel bans preventing the accused from leaving the UAE during investigation. Complainants who believe the accused may flee should specifically request a travel ban when filing the complaint and provide the accused's identification details.

Errors in a Criminal Complaint Letter filed with UAE police or the Public Prosecution can result in the complaint not being registered, investigation being delayed, or the accused escaping prosecution.

Filing an inaccurate or exaggerated complaint is the most serious error. Under Article 276 of the UAE Penal Code (Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021), a knowingly false criminal complaint is itself a crime. Even unintentional inaccuracies — overstating the amount allegedly defrauded, or incorrectly identifying the accused — can undermine the credibility of the complaint and result in the Public Prosecution declining to prosecute.

Filing after the limitation period has expired prevents prosecution. For dishonoured cheques and certain financial offences, the complaint must be filed within the applicable period under the Commercial Transactions Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 50 of 2022) and Federal Decree-Law No. 38 of 2022 on Criminal Procedures. Filing a complaint after the prescription period has passed will result in the Public Prosecution declining to proceed on limitation grounds.

Failing to include the accused's identification details — Emirates ID, passport number, or last known address — hampers the police investigation. Without these details, the police cannot identify or locate the accused, issue an arrest warrant, or impose a travel ban. Providing as much identifying information as possible at the outset is critical.

Omitting the evidence available — not attaching the dishonoured cheque and bank return notice, or failing to mention the existence of WhatsApp messages or contractual documents — results in a weaker complaint and may cause the police to prioritise other cases. Evidence-strong complaints are processed and investigated more promptly.

Not requesting a travel ban in cases where the accused is known to be planning to leave the UAE, or where the accused is a foreign national who may depart, allows the accused to escape UAE jurisdiction before prosecution begins. The travel ban request should appear explicitly in the complaint.

Failing to retain the police report number prevents the complainant from tracking the progress of the investigation, following up with the Public Prosecution, or referencing the complaint in subsequent civil proceedings.