KUWAIT CITY, June 23: The Court of Cassation, headed by Judge Sultan Bouresli, on Sunday upheld the death sentence imposed on the killer of Ahmed Al-Jalal — a citizen. Based on the psychiatric report submitted to the court; it was declared that the defendant was aware of his actions, so he is legally responsible for them. During the trial, Attorney Hussein Al- Asfour demanded maximum penalty for the defendant, indicating the psychiatric report proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the perpetrator was sane and aware of his crime, and that he did not benefit from any excuse or mitigating circumstance.

In its pleadings before the Criminal Court, the Public Prosecution — represented by Deputy Director of the Ahmadi and Mubarak Al-Kabeer Prosecutions Nasser Al-Masbahi — stated that the defendant “deliberately took an innocent life without justification and devoid of humanity. He also deprived the victim of his most sacred right — the right to life.”

In the grounds for the first-instance ruling, the court stated that “the defendant deliberately killed the victim by stabbing him with a knife to take his life, causing injuries described in the forensic report that led to his death. He also deliberately assaulted the other victim, Jaber Sheikh, physically, as proven in the investigations.” The court stated this is one of the most heinous crimes known to mankind, as it foreshadows criminal behavior dominated by evil factors that necessitate general deterrence, the achievement of justice, and the proper implementation of the rule of law. The court convicted the defendant of the two charges against him, as amended, and decided to punish him under articles 149 and 160 of the Penal Code and Article 1/172 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

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