Canberra man's bid to reclaim engagement ring from ex fails

A Canberra man has lost a legal bid to reclaim the cash he spent on his former fiancee’s engagement ring after they broke up.

Two years ago Bilal Omari approached the family of Fadwa Yassine, from Melbourne, with the proposal of an arranged marriage.

In May 2015, the couple held an engagement party during which the ring and other gifts were presented to Ms Yassine by the family of Mr Omari.

But five months later the relationship broke down after Mr Omari refused to move to Melbourne, which the family of Ms Yassine understood was part of an agreement.

Mr Omari began legal action against his former fiancée when she refused to return the ring, demanding the value of the ring and other gifts.

Documents recording the legal stoush were filed in the ACT's Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

The claims were dismissed by the tribunal, enabling Ms Yassine to keep the engagement ring, but both parties have to pay their own legal fees.

"In my view there was not a unilateral withdrawal by one party in breach of a prior promise, but a recognition by two people that their relationship had reached a tipping point, and in the absence of any further action was over," ACAT member Graeme Lunney said.