27/04/2026
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27/04/2026
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KUWAIT CITY, April 27: The Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Nasser Al-Haid, with Judges Mutaib Al-Aradhi and Saud Al-Sanea as members, sentenced a citizen to two years in prison with hard labor, a police corporal to three months in prison and another individual to one year in prison for involvement in an attempt to smuggle individuals whose citizenship was revoked through the Nuwaiseeb border.
The defendants were apprehended in an entrapment set up by the Criminal Investigation Department at the Interior Ministry. Case details revealed that the Public Prosecution charged several individuals of manipulating an official data system at the ministry. They allegedly attempted to conceal the departure of certain individuals from the entry and exit system at Nuwaiseeb border, enabling them to leave the country without official documentation.
One of the defendants, a security officer, was also accused of participating in the scheme in exchange for a bribe, in addition to offering and soliciting bribes to facilitate the operation. The Criminal Court previously acquitted the defendants of bribery but convicted them of forgery. One defendant was sentenced to five years in prison, while the remaining defendants received prison sentences of up to three years. Some were ordered deported, and others were released on bail.
Also, the Court of Appeals amended the charge, considering the incident to constitute attempted forgery of an official document rather than a completed crime, since the defendants were apprehended before crossing the border. Accordingly, the court issued the amended ruling, sentencing one defendant to two years in prison, the security officer to three months and another defendant to one year.
Several other defendants were released on bail of KD500 each and required to maintain good conduct for two years. The court upheld the acquittal on bribery charges. The court also suspended the appeal filed by the prosecution against some of the defendants pending the completion of legal procedures related to the judgments.
By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff and Agencies
