Life in jail for drug kingpin, five accomplices acquitted

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KUWAIT CITY, Feb 16: The Criminal Court of First Instance chaired by Judge Mut’eb Al-Ardhi sentenced the main suspect in a drug trafficking case to life imprisonment and acquitted five others in a lawsuit with the state. According to the case file, the Public Prosecution accused the first four defendants of trafficking in cocaine without legal authorization. Apparently, the first and second defendants are ex-convicts alleged to have concealed the item inside their luggage on arrival to the country without paying customs duty. The fifth and sixth defendants were accused of peddling in illicit drug for the same purpose, noting the sixth defendant was also an ex-convict. On behalf of the sixth defendant, Lawyer Ali Al-Ali countered procedures leading to the search, arrest and detention of his client. He argued that the officers acted without appropriate warrant from the Public Prosecution Department. He also faulted the statements of the prosecution officers, as they were not supported by concrete documented proofs.

Hearing today: The Court of Appeals will start deliberations on the Abdally Cell case, involving 26 individuals, in a session to be presided Wednesday by Judge AbdulRahman Al-Drameh. The Public Prosecution appealed against the sentences of 21 defendants who were sentenced to various jail terms ranging from life imprisonment and five years, as well as fines ranging from KD 3,000 to KD 5,000 whereas two others were sentenced to death and three were acquitted. The prosecution wants all the accused to be sentenced to death. Last September, the prosecution lodged criminal charges against the terrorist cell in which 26 defendants were put on trial over possession of a huge cache of weapons and ammunition, as well as espionage for Iran and Hezbollah. Two were sentenced to death, including an Iranian being tried in absentia, for spying for Iran and plotting attacks in the country. Iranian Abdulreda Hayder was on trial along with 25 Kuwaiti Shiites on charges of spying for Iran and hiding large quantities of arms and ammunition in underground depots. The court said Hayder is an Iranian spy who recruited the Kuwaiti Shiites and arranged for their travel to Lebanon, where they received military training from Iran backed Shiite militia group Hezbollah. The other man sentenced to death, Kuwaiti Hasan Abdulhadi Ali, had been a member of Hezbollah since 1996 and was “the mastermind of the cell”, the court said.

‘Kebrit’ case delayed: The Criminal Court postponed until March 8 the deliberations on State Security case of Twitter user @Kebrit2, which also involves @Kebrit1, three of his relatives and a lawyer. The court made this decision in order to summon the arresting officer. In Tuesday’s session, all the accused appeared before the court, including the lawyer after his arrest warrant was lifted. Meanwhile, the defendants’ lawyer, Attorney Ayed Al-Rashidi, requested for the court appearance of the arresting for cross examination. Previously, the Public Prosecution charged the defendants with offending the entity of HH the Amir, stirring sedition among members of the society, spreading false information, and offending the judiciary and some political personalities.

Jail for woman: The Misdemeanor Court, presided over by Judge Sulaiman Al-Mudiyan, sentenced a Kuwaiti woman to two months in prison and ordered suspension of the implementation of the sentence for three years, on the condition that she signs a pledge of good conduct with a financial guarantee of KD2,000

By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah Staff

This news has been read 6755 times!

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