KUWAIT CITY, May 10: The Court of First Instance has ordered the State Ministry of Housing to retroactively and continuously reimburse a rent allowance of KD11,300 to a citizen who previously replaced and waived his housing application multiple times. In a landmark ruling, the court clarified that the criterion for suspending the rent allowance is not merely the allocation of a housing plot, but rather the completion of the construction period or the connection of electricity.

Details of a lawsuit filed by Attorney Abdul Mohsen Al-Qattan indicated that the plaintiff was allocated a new plot in Al-Mutlaa on May 4, 2023. However, as construction had not yet been completed and electricity was not connected (conditions required for halting the rent allowance ), he remained entitled to receive the allowance.

The administrative authority’s decision to stop the payments and demand repayment for that period was deemed erroneous. The court ruled that the ministry must return the deducted amount and resume payment, as the plaintiff submitted a new housing application and had not yet benefited from the allocated plot. The judgment further stated that rent allowances must be reinstated for all individuals whose payments were previously suspended due to substitution or waiver of alternative housing, starting from the month following the implementation of the relevant regulation.

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

Kuwait Fire Force team at the scene.

KUWAIT CITY, May 10: Firefighters successfully brought a basement fire under control at a printing press in the Shuwaikh Industrial Area on Saturday morning, according to the Kuwait Fire Force.

Teams from the Shuwaikh Industrial and Al-Shaheed fire stations responded promptly to the incident. Upon arrival, they launched firefighting operations to suppress the blaze and prevent it from spreading beyond the basement level.

Authorities confirmed that no serious injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

KUWAIT CITY, May 10: The Misdemeanor Appeals Court has overturned a previous conviction sentencing a woman to one year in prison with hard labor on charges of fraud and practicing witchcraft. The court instead acquitted her of all charges, citing insufficient evidence and flawed procedures.

The case stemmed from allegations by the Public Prosecution that the woman had defrauded multiple individuals by claiming to possess supernatural powers, including the ability to predict the future. She reportedly charged 300 Kuwaiti dinars per session and allegedly operated out of her private residence.

According to testimony from an officer with the Anti-Money Laundering Crimes Department, the investigation began following a tip-off from a confidential source. Acting on a prosecution warrant, detectives staged a sting operation using marked cash. After a session was conducted inside the defendant’s home and payment was exchanged, authorities raided the premises. During the search, items suspected of being used in sorcery were recovered, including a dried seahorse, paper talismans, bullets, incense, stones, herbs, and marked money.

In her defense, attorney Enaam Haidar argued that the search and arrest were procedurally invalid, the evidence lacked credibility, and the case was based on speculative accusations. She also emphasized her client’s consistent denial of the charges throughout the investigation. After reviewing the case, the Appeals Court concluded that the prosecution had failed to establish criminal intent or provide concrete proof of fraudulent activity, resulting in a full acquittal.