KUWAIT CITY, Aug 29: Statistics from the Ministry of Justice revealed that the number of cases referred to the Public Prosecution in the first half of this year reached 17,000 and 60 of which are money laundering cases – an average of 10 cases per month, reports Al-Qabas daily. The daily obtained a copy of the statistics, which showed an increase in the number of some types of cases and crimes; while others decreased and the number of certain cases remained the same.

According to the statistics, the total number of cases referred to the prosecution decreased by 10 percent, compared to the first half of 2022. Data on money laundering crimes in the last five years indicate that the year 2021 recorded the highest number of such crimes; during which the prosecution investigated 167 cases and this decreased to 64 in 2022. It seems the decline happened after several countries intensified efforts to combat money laundering, leading to a further decline in 2023 – 60 cases. In addition, men constitute 90 percent of those accused of committing crimes investigated by the prosecution; while women constitute 10 percent

Defendants
The total number of defendants reached about 18,000; and most of them are 30 to 40 years old. On the types of crimes; environmental misdemeanor ranked first with 4,030; followed by domestic violence with 2,200; and juvenile misdemeanor with 815 cases. The large number of environmental misdemeanor cases was recorded after the authorities tightened procedures and ensured the strict application of the law on violators. The security services and environment police are actively tracking down violators. Strict laws have contributed to the decline of environmental misdemeanors as penalties include three years imprisonment and a fine of KD50,000 for most violations.

Domestic violence cases witnessed a slight increase – 1,216 in the first half of 2023; compared to 2,200 cases in the whole of 2022. It is noticeable in the courts, particularly at the Justice Palace, that the number of domestic violence cases is on the rise. Courts are deliberating on such cases daily and the complaints of battered women have multiplied. According to sources, some of these cases are retaliatory and malicious, while others result from actual assault. However, it is noted that most of these cases end in acquittal or fines in small amounts; so some resort to resolving disputes before they reach the courts in a bid to reform the family and contribute to its cohesion.