Dubai conviction “a life sentence” for property developer Matthew Joyce: wife

Larry SchlesingerDecember 7, 2020

The wife of property developer Matthew Joyce has described his 10-year jail sentence in Dubai as “a life sentence” because he must also pay off a $25 million fine before being considered for release.

“This is his own worst nightmare,” Angela Higgins told the ABC.

“We know that this is like a life sentence.

“It’s a 10-year sentence plus the fine. If you can’t pay the fine you keep doing more time past your sentence,” she said.

Joyce and Melbourne-based developer Angus Reed were convicted by a Dubai court on bribery and corruption charges in relation to a 2007 Dubai waterfront land deal involving Queensland developer Sunland.

They have been ordered to repay the Dhs44 million fee they earned on the deal, and a fine of a similar amount.

Sunland is appealing a Victorian Supreme Court ruling which found Sunland had "commenced and continued the ... proceedings in wilful disregard of known facts and law" and with a willingness to implicate Mr Joyce unjustifiably.

Joyce’s legal team has to file an appeal within 15 days of the May 20 ruling.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr has promised to provide him with “strenuous consular representations” but cannot intervene in UAE legal proceedings.

In February, prime minister Julia Gillard asked the ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, for a review of the case following the Victorian Supreme Court ruling.

Larry Schlesinger

Larry Schlesinger was a property writer at Property Observer

Editor's Picks