Article 143 of the Saudi Commercial Court Law
المادة 143 من النظام التجاري نظام المحكمة التجارية · الفصل الحادي عشر: في العقوبات
This article treats a broker who cheats in a sale or conceals the real prices as a betrayer of trust, punishing him the first time with one month's imprisonment or a fine, and barring him from the profession on repetition.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
كل دلال يدخل فسادا أو غشا أو تغريرا في بيع وشراء البضائع، أو يخفي الأثمان الحقيقية بالزيادة أو التنقيص، يعد خائنا ويعاقب أول مرة بالحبس شهرا أو بغرامة مالية من خمسة جنيهات إلى عشرة جنيهات، وإذا تكرر ذلك يحرم من تعاطي مهنة الدلالة مع الحبس إلى سنة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 143 explained in plain English
This article punishes the disloyal broker.
The punishable acts:
- Introducing corruption, fraud or deception into the buying and selling of goods.
- Concealing the real prices by increasing or reducing them.
The description: he is considered a betrayer of trust.
The penalty is graduated:
- The first time: imprisonment for one month, or a fine of five pounds to ten pounds.
- On repetition: he is barred from practicing brokerage, together with imprisonment of up to one year.
One form of concealing the real prices is for the broker to tell the seller a lower price than the buyer paid, or tell the buyer a higher price than the seller asked, so that he takes the difference for himself. A broker is a trusted intermediary, and his betrayal harms both parties.
The graduated penalty gives a chance to someone who errs the first time, but protects the market from someone who repeats it by removing him from the profession.
The fine is set in pounds, which reflects the time the law was issued. Before it, Article 142 punishes spreading false news to affect prices. Article 144 follows, punishing a broker who violates specified duties with temporary exclusion from the profession.
If you discover that a broker cheated you or hid the real price from you, consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal or commercial cases.
Practical example
A broker mediated the sale of a car between Ahmed and Khalid in Riyadh, and told Ahmed that Khalid had paid SAR 80,000 when Khalid had paid SAR 95,000, keeping the difference. Under this article the broker is considered a betrayer of trust and is punished the first time with imprisonment for one month or a fine, and if he repeats it he is barred from the profession together with imprisonment of up to one year.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 143 of the Saudi Commercial Court Law
What is the penalty for a broker who cheats in a sale?
He is considered a betrayer of trust and is punished the first time with imprisonment for one month or a fine of five pounds to ten pounds.
What if the broker repeats the fraud?
He is barred from practicing brokerage, together with imprisonment of up to one year.
Is concealing the real price a betrayal of trust?
Yes. Concealing the real prices by increasing or reducing them is among the acts for which a broker is considered a betrayer of trust.
More articles on Commercial Penalties
- Article 5
The article requires every merchant to deal with integrity and honor, without fraud, deceit or swindling, or he deserves the penalty under the penalties in the law.
يجب على كل تاجر أن يسلك في كل أعماله التجارية بدين وشرف، فلا يرتكب غشا ولا تدليسا ولا احتيالا ولا غبنا ولا غررا ولا نكثا ولا شيئا مما يخالف الدين والشرف بوجه من
- Article 41
The article makes every money changer responsible for his work, books and employees, regulates the exchange of coins at the Finance request, and assigns the application of the money changer provisions to municipal councils where there is no Commercial Court.
كل صراف مسئول عن أعماله وانتظام دفاتره وأعمال الأشخاص المستخدمين عنده مما تترتب فيها عقوبة بمقتضى فصل العقوبات : أ- يجب على الطرفين أن يقوموا بكل أمر حكومي إذا
- Article 63
The article prohibits putting dates in transfers ahead of their true date, and treats that as forgery if it occurs.
تقديم التواريخ في التحاويل عن تاريخها الحقيقي ممنوع وإن حصل يعد ذلك تزويرا .
- Article 138
The article punishes a merchant who reneges on a valid sale after giving the release order, even in collusion with the warehouse keeper, by requiring delivery and imprisonment of one to three months.
كل تاجر باع شيئا من أمواله وأموال موكله التي هي تحت تصرفه بيعا صحيحا ثم أعطى للمشتري سند الفسح ( الستمى ) باستلامه من المخزن ثم نكث عن بيعه وعارض في تسليم المبي
- Article 139
The article punishes a merchant who tricks a discerning minor, exploiting his need, into giving a document, by imprisonment of three months to a year or a fine of fifty to one hundred pounds.
كل من أساء الاستعمال من التجار في احتياجات صبي مميز بأن احتال عليه لأخذ وثيقة منه على أي صورة كانت سواء تضمنت استقراض دراهم واستعارة أشياء أو إعطاء أوراق أو إبر
- Article 140
The article punishes anyone who changes words or inserts phrases in a signed or sealed bond or a commercial book through embezzlement and forgery by imprisonment of three months to a year or a fine.
من أساء الاستعمال في سند أو ورقة فيها ختم أو إمضاء أو في دفتر تجاري بتبديل كلمات أو إدخال عبارات تقضى تعهد أو إبراء على وجه الاختلاس والتزوير يعاقب بالحبس من ثل
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.