Abu Dhabi lecturer cleared of defaming student’s ‘flirting husband’

University professor accused of warning student of her husband's philandering ways is cleared of defamation.

ABU DHABI // A university lecturer accused of warning a student that her husband was flirting with other women has been cleared of defamation.

Emirati M M, 33, claimed Dr C, 46, from Hong Kong, sent two anonymous emails to his wife.

One stated her husband was constantly flirting with female students, had “many girlfriends” and was planning to marry one of them.

The second email urged her to confront her husband about a love rival, saying “there is a professor who is aware of their relationship and maybe he can tell you about it”.

At the time the couple were taking a finance course run by the lecturer at the American University in the Emirates.

The lecturer denied sending either email. His lawyer, Amal Al Zaabi, pointed out that the emails were written in Arabic, which the lecturer cannot speak, read or write.

She said there was nothing to link him to the email account from which they were sent.

The Misdemeanours Court found him not guilty of defamation.