Death commuted to jail in 360 Mall murder case – Travel ban on citizen lifted

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KUWAIT CITY, Nov 28: The Court of Appeals revoked the verdict of a lower court that sentenced two of the suspects in the 360 Mall murder case to death by hanging, life imprisonment for another suspect and 10 years imprisonment for two other suspects. The higher court commuted the death sentence imposed on the two suspects to 10 years with hard labor while the three other suspects were acquitted. Case files indicate the suspects were involved in a public brawl between youths in the 360 Mall, leading to the death of one youth. The Public Prosecution charged the suspects with premeditated murder, saying they planned the killing of the victim as they carried knives and waylaid the victim. One of the suspects is said to have stabbed the victim with a knife while another kept on kicking different parts of the victim’s body, two other suspects beat the victim using their hands and another suspect was at the scene of the crime condoning the act. The victim sustained serious injuries, leading to his death. Attorney Zaid Al-Khabbaz, lawyer for the suspect accused of being an accomplice as he condoned the killing, argued in court that the case lacks substance affirming the suspects had no intention to kill the victim in one way or another and his client had no role in it. He also pointed out loopholes in the investigation, so he demanded for acquittal of his client due to the absence of incriminating evidence.

Travel ban lifted: The Grievance Circuit at the First Instance Court, headed by Judge Abdulaziz Al-Ghaith, cancelled the decision to ban a citizen from traveling for alleged failure to pay his debt. Attorney Muhammad Al-Qattan from Khalil Al-Qattan Law Office, who represented the citizen in court, argued the travel ban decision contravened the law. He stressed that his client is a Kuwaiti citizen with a definite address and he has no reason to escape from the country. The lawyer cited Article 297 of the Procedures Act which defines cases which warrant a travel ban, taking into consideration the ability of the debtor to pay his debt and obligating the creditor to prove that the debtor might flee before paying his debt.

Results challenged: In response to a question raised by Al-Seyassah newspaper concerning a video clip that went viral on social media about the removal of few ballot boxes from one of the committees in the Fifth Constituency, the Chairman of the Supreme Judicial Council and President of the Constitutional Court Judge Yousef Al-Mutawa affirmed that the court has not yet received any petition in this regard. Reportedly, a female representative of one of the candidates uploaded a post on social media in which she revealed that 13 ballot boxes were taken in a white Lexus. Thereafter, parliamentary candidate Salem Al-Namlan had lodged a complaint at a police station. However, security sources revealed that the ballot boxes were taken in a Yukon vehicle to the main committee. A Fourth Constituency candidate Faraj Al Arbeed affirmed that he will appeal the results of the elections at the Constitutional Court. In addition, there are reports that former MP and a candidate from the Fourth Constituency Sultan Al Shammari will also file a petition against the results of the election in the same constituency.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah Staff

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