In a recent case in Manama, a mother filed a lawsuit against her son seeking to annul a property gift she had previously granted him, claiming that she was coerced into doing so. The mother alleged that her son pressured her into gifting him her house by threatening her, fear for her safety, and forcing her to appear in court to complete the gift registration. Additionally, she stated that her son is a drug user and is serving a prison sentence for killing his brother.
The court heard the case, with both the plaintiff and defendant present. The defendant denied the coercion claims, stating that the gift was valid and without pressure, adding that he compensated his mother with 28,000 dinars. However, the plaintiff denied receiving any compensation for the gift contract. The court decided to refer the case for investigation to prove the plaintiff’s claims through witness testimony and establish that she did not receive any financial compensation for the gift.
Witness testimonies from the plaintiff’s family members confirmed that the defendant had indeed pressured their mother into making the gift, threatening to burn down the house if she did not comply. On the other hand, the defendant’s witnesses stated that he was respectful towards his mother, taking care of her needs and constantly offering assistance. The defendant’s wife also testified that the mother had willingly signed the gift document with her consent.
Despite the validity of the gift contract and the lack of concrete evidence for coercion, the court found that the plaintiff regretted her decision and was remorseful for the defendant’s continued ownership of the property. The court ruled in favor of the defendant, stating that the mother’s request was based on an incorrect legal and religious basis, rejecting it and charging the plaintiff with the cost of the lawyer’s fees. Ultimately, the court decision upheld the validity of the gift contract between the mother and son.
