Kuwaiti man acquitted of trafficking in liquor; 12 booze bottles seized

15/06/2026

Kuwaiti man acquitted of trafficking in liquor; 12 booze bottles seized

KUWAIT CITY, June 15: The Misdemeanor Court acquitted a citizen of possessing 12 bottles of liquor with the intent to sell them, reports Al-Seyassah daily. In its reasoning, the court reaffirmed the legal principle that there is no crime or punishment without a clear legal basis, citing the absence of conclusive evidence on the intent to sell and the fact that the liquor was possessed for personal consumption.

It stated that the case file has no definitive evidence demonstrating that the defendant engaged in the sale or distribution of alcoholic beverages. It indicated that the two prosecution witnesses testified that they did not know the reason behind the defendant’s possession of the seized liquor, and that there was no evidence showing he was seen selling, delivering or receiving the alcoholic beverages. It also pointed out that the police investigation concluded the seized liquor was in the possession of the defendant for personal use.

This finding was supported by the statements of the defendant during the investigation and in court, where he denied any intention to sell or distribute the beverages. It emphasized that suspicions and assumptions are insufficient grounds for a criminal conviction, stressing that criminal judgments must be based on certainty and firm conviction rather than doubt or speculation. It reiterated that the case file lacked any evidence establishing the legal elements required to prove the offense of selling or distributing alcoholic beverages.

Earlier, the Public Prosecution referred the defendant to trial for possessing alcoholic beverages with the intent to sell, seeking his punishment under Article 206 bis of the Penal Code. During the court proceedings, Attorney Abdulmohsen Al-Qattan appeared on behalf of the defendant and argued that the elements of the offense were not established and that there was no evidence his client engaged in the sale or distribution of the beverages. He asserted that the seized liquor was intended for personal use, a claim that was supported by both the investigation results and the defendant’s own statements.