Officer acquitted in forgery of certificate, funds embezzling

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KUWAIT CITY, Feb 20: The Administrative Circuit of the Court of Cassation upheld the verdicts issued by two lower courts – Court of First Instance and Court of Appeals – that canceled the decision of the Director-General of Zakat House to bypass an employee who should have been promoted to the position of Training and Planning Supervisor, and instead chose another colleague for that position.

The bypassed employee, via his counsel Lawyer Ali Al-Wawan, filed a lawsuit for redress. The lawyer presented a portfolio of his documents, including reports of his competency and certificates of excellence issued by the defendant. He explained at the court that his client has been working in the office since 1997 when he was employed as an editorial assistant in the Department of Information and Media.

He claimed to be evaluated excellent for years and eventually rose to become the Head of the Department of Information and Media. He was later nominated for the position of Assistant Director of Information at the same level of Supervisor of Public Relations, but the Personnel Affairs Committee rejected his nomination without any justification, even though he met all the conditions for the position. He was shocked to realize that another colleague was appointed as the Training and Planning Supervisor, which led him to submit a complaint with the director along with necessary documents to back it up. Surprisingly, the director turned down his request, leaving the plaintiff with the option of seeking judicial redress.

Forgery, funds scam: The Court of Cassation upheld the ruling of the Court of Appeals, which acquitted a police officer with the rank of sergeant in the Ministry of Interior and overturned the verdict of the First Instance Court sentencing him to five years in prison with hard labor and dismissal from work, while he was obliged to repay half of the salary he received since his employment in 2000 – approximately KD700,000. According to the court files, the sergeant was accused of forging his academic certificate and embezzling public funds. Lawyer for the sergeant, Attorney Jarrah Al-Enezi, argued that the case lacks criminal intent and there is no substantial evidence that his client committed the crime, in addition to faulty investigation which was conducted by the detectives who failed to provide any evidence which could hold water in the eyes of the law.

Acquitted in drugs case: The Court of Appeal overturned the ruling of the First Instance Court that sentenced a citizen and another person to two years with hard labor, and instead acquitted them of charges of possession of narcotic substances for personal use, and resisting arrest. The Public Prosecution indicated the defendant and another person were found in possession of psychotropic substance, “methamphetamine”, with the intention of consuming the illicit substance without license to do so by law. The defendant is said to have resisted arrest and become violent toward the arresting officers and even attempted to escape.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah Staff

This news has been read 10983 times!