DOHA: The number of cases of ‘bounced cheques’ in Qatar fell about 30 percent in 2012 compared to the previous year.
However, cases related to “dishonoured cheques” account for the third highest in the country, a breakdown of various types of cases that came up before different courts in 2012 shows.
A total of 16,750 cases related to ‘dishonouring’ of cheques came up before Qatari courts in 2012. This is against 23,422 cases referred to the courts in 2011.
Judge Masoud Mohamed Al Amiri, Chief of the Supreme Judicial Council, yesterday said that the number of settled ‘bounced cheque’ cases has increased during 2012. In 2011, the courts settled 92 percent of the total claims that came up before the courts. In 2012, the courts were able to settle 95 percent of the total claims referred to them. The year 2012 saw a significant drop in the total number of cheque-related complaints that came up before the courts, he said.
The problem of cheques issued by people and companies without sufficient balance in their accounts was serious in Qatar after the 2008 financial crisis, with an estimated 150 to 250 such cases coming up before the courts on a daily basis. The menace of ‘bounced cheques’ was so high that media reported that an expatriate was tried by a court in at least 80 cases as the cheques he issued were dishonoured due to insufficient funds in his bank accounts.
Legal sources attributed the drop in cheque-related cases to the government’s decision to strictly combat the menace coupled with the banking sector’s newly-introduced regulations on restricting cheque books only to account holders.
In 2011, the Advisory Council urged the government to empower the Capital Police Cell to look into cheque-related disputes. Government reactivated a special police cell that looks into complaints about cheques rejected by banks for want of sufficient funds. “The disputes over ‘bounced cheques’ mainly emerged from the ‘subletting business’ in the real estate sector. Now with the system almost vanishing from the market, the question of issuing post-dated cheques does not exist. This is one of the reasons for the major drop in cheque-related cases”, sources in legal circles told The Peninsula.
There could be a host of reasons for the sharp decline in the number of bounced cheques, said another source. “The government has taken some proactive measures to curb the menace including opening of fast-track courts,” he said. “The cases related to cheque bounce are cleared within the first or second hearing. And on the other hand banks have also stopped issuing cheque-books to customers with saving accounts. Only those customers with current account are issued cheque-books,” he added.
Chief of Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Masoud Mohammed Al Amiri noted that the total number of claims considered before various courts in Qatar amounted to 81,452.
Of this, verdicts were issued on 65,363 cases, meaning 80 percent of cases came up before the courts were settled in 2012, up one percent compared to the previous year.
Eight different courts heard a total of 24,100 civil claims in 2012, in which the courts ruled in 15,394 cases. The court of Cassation (Criminal) ruled in 82 percent of the total 423 cases referred to it.
A total of 795 cases related to the breach of environment regulations came up before the court in 2012.
The court settled 95 percent of these cases. The Traffic Court settled nearly 87 percent of the total 3031 cases referred to it.
The Court of Search and Follow-up settled the maximum number of cases came up before it. Of the total 10,143 cases referred to it, verdicts were delivered on 10,085 cases (over 99 percent).
The Family Court, which hears the cases related to families, inheritance and minors, heard 5,351 cases in 2012. Of this 3,970 cases were settled.
