KUWAIT CITY, Aug 7: The Court of Cassation has closed one of the biggest corruption cases in the country — the embezzlement of KD933,000 from the Public Authority for Housing Welfare (PAHW). The case centered on the illegal seizure of rent allowance funds through the manipulation of citizens’ housing files without their knowledge.

The court sentenced a department head at PAHW to 15 years in prison with hard labor, fined him KD1,934,000, and dismissed him from his position. The court also upheld the five-year prison sentence imposed on two employees, fined them KD627,000 and dismissed one of them from his job. Two other employees were fined KD3,000 each, and one of them was also dismissed from his job, bringing the total number of dismissed staff involved in the case to three. The case dates back to 2016, when the Legal Department at the authority uncovered a widespread tampering with citizens’ rent allowance files, resulting in the unauthorized disbursement of huge sums through the use of their data within their knowledge.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff 

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 7: The Civil Division in the Court of First Instance has ruled in favor of a citizen in a real estate dispute, ordering the annulment of a preliminary sale contract signed in June 2013 between the plaintiff and the defendant for a residential unit under construction in Hawally. The court ordered the defendant to return the full contract amount of KD105,000 to the plaintiff, along with moral compensation of KD5,001.

It also instructed the defendant to pay legal expenses and KD200 in attorney fees. The plaintiff was represented by Attorney Mishari Al-Shammari, who argued that his client honored all contractual obligations by paying the agreed amount in full, with the expectation that the unit would be delivered upon completion of construction. However, the defendant breached the contract by refusing to register the agreement or hand over the property; causing substantial financial loss and psychological distress to the plaintiff.

Al-Shammari submitted official documents to the court, including a copy of the preliminary sales contract and receipts proving full payment. The defendant, despite being formally notified, failed to appear at any of the trial sessions. The court referred the case to the Department of Experts at the Ministry of Justice. The report of the department confirmed that the defendant is liable for the full amount of KD105,000.

The court further affirmed that the plaintiff met all contractual obligations, while the defendant’s refusal to fulfill his responsibilities is a clear breach. Citing established legal principles and jurisprudence, the court ruled to annul the contract and award financial restitution and compensation to the plaintiff; in accordance with the legal provisions governing binding contracts. These provisions entitle the aggrieved party to seek contract cancellation and damages when the other party fails to meet their obligations without justification.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff 

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 7: The Criminal Court sentenced a citizen to three years in prison with hard labor and fined him KD5,000 for violating public morals and inciting others to engage in debauchery and immorality through the video clips he posted on his Snapchat account. Confidential investigations conducted by the Cybercrime Department in the Interior Ministry confirmed that the accused committed immoral acts.

The evidence included documented recordings and electronic correspondence that convicted him of publicly inciting deviant behavior. The Cybercrime Department confirmed in its report that the defendant’s actions are considered a blatant violation of societal values and a serious breach of the law; hence, the need to impose the maximum penalty to serve as a deterrent and to protect the moral fabric of society.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff