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Man Freed After 10-Year Wrongful Conviction in Kuwait Theft Case

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KUWAIT CITY, April 23: In what legal experts are calling an unusual court case, a defendant appeared before the Court of Cassation to begin serving a 10-year prison sentence, only for his lawyers to reveal that he was not the intended subject of the conviction. Attorneys Hawra Al-Habib and Abdul Hamid Mirza, representing the accused in a theft case, presented a compelling argument before the court, asserting that their client had been mistakenly identified and wrongfully convicted due to a procedural error.

The defendant, who repeatedly maintained his innocence, was convicted in absentia by the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeals without ever being present or properly notified. According to his legal team, the man was neither seeking to appeal his sentence nor explain his actions, because he did not commit any crime. Instead, the defense requested that the court acknowledge that their client had no connection to the case at all, and that the real suspect was already incarcerated.

In a dramatic courtroom moment, the court ordered the defendant to be temporarily detained while it verified the claims. Upon investigation, it was discovered that a clerical error resulted in the wrong civil identification number being associated with the case. The prosecution confirmed the mix-up, and the court promptly ordered the defendant’s release, restoring his freedom after confirming his innocence.

This case mirrors another incident previously reported in which a man wrongfully served a full 10-year sentence before discovering the mistake. This highlights the critical importance of due process and accurate identification in legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Criminal Court, presided over by Judge Dr. Khaled Al-Omara, sentenced three Gulf nationals – a father and his two sons – to seven years ‘ imprisonment and imposed a fine of KD 2.5 million, equivalent to the salaries and benefits they received from the government after obtaining Kuwaiti citizenship through forgery. The case centers on a Gulf citizen who conspired with a Kuwaiti citizen in 1989 to add his children to the Kuwaiti’s citizenship file under false names.

The defendants submitted false information and documents to the General Department of Nationality and Passport Affairs to obtain Kuwaiti passports and civil ID cards. The investigating officer revealed that the Kuwaiti citizen implicated in the case had passed away. Investigations uncovered 12 cases of citizenship forgery registered against him. The court has ordered the Gulf nationals to repay the salaries and benefits they unlawfully received. Additionally, the Criminal Court ordered the release of a lawyer on bail of KD1 million and a businessman on bail of KD3,000 – both were banned from traveling, while an employee of the Public Authority for Industry remained in custody. The Public Prosecution ordered the detention of the defendants on charges of bribery, forgery of official documents, profiting from industrial plots worth KD120 million, and money laundering worth KD 26 million.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times

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Kuwait Cracks Down on Unlicensed Juvenile Drivers: 79 Arrested in Traffic Sweep

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Kuwait Cracks Down on Unlicensed Juvenile Drivers: 79 Arrested in Traffic Sweep

A file photo from a previous traffic campaign in Kuwait.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 9: Traffic officers arrested 79 juveniles for driving without a license over the past seven days. They were referred to the Juvenile Prosecution and the necessary legal action was taken against them. The weekly statistics of traffic patrols indicated that 31,395 traffic violations were recorded, 29 vehicles impounded and 65 individuals referred to traffic detention.
The statistics also revealed the seizure of 66 wanted vehicles and arrest of 66 individuals wanted by law for absconding. Moreover, 126 Residency Law violators were arrested and three individuals were referred to the Drug Control General Department. The statistics indicated that the department dealt with 1,179 traffic accidents, resulting in 180 injuries. A security source reiterated the call for parents to closely monitor their children and prevent them from driving without a license to avoid legal accountability

By Munif Naif
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

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Illegal Mobile Vehicles and Shops Targeted in Kuwait’s Ahmadi Clean-Up Drive

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KUWAIT CITY, Sep 9: Under directives from His Excellency, the Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and the Director General of Kuwait Municipality, the Ahmadi Governorate branch has launched a series of campaigns aimed at improving cleanliness and eliminating unauthorized operations across the governorate.

Kuwait’s Public Cleanliness and Road Works Department in Al-Ahmadi has intensified efforts to tackle illegal garages and abandoned vehicles. Authorities closed one square using concrete barriers to curb unauthorized activities, issued seven violations, removed 10 abandoned vehicles, and issued 39 warnings to offenders in the Fahaheel and Fintas areas. These measures highlight the municipality’s commitment to public order and cleanliness.

The General Cleanliness and Road Occupations Department, represented by the Fahaheel Cleaning Center, conducted inspections in the Fahaheel Industrial Area, removing two vehicles and issuing 16 violations against shops operating without proper municipal licenses.

A second campaign is underway in the Fintas area, particularly around Fintas Park, where authorities found several companies operating with valid Ministry of Commerce licenses. However, one food truck was removed for failing to obtain the required commercial license.

Muhammad Al-Hajri, Head of the Fahaheel Center, emphasized that daily operations will continue to ensure the eradication of illegal mobile vehicles and unlicensed shops, while maintaining the general appearance of Ahmadi Governorate.

As part of the ongoing initiative, authorities have closed one of the openings in Fahaheel’s Block 8, restricting access to heavy machinery such as trucks and trailers. Vehicles currently in state-owned yards are being tagged and removed as necessary. A new state-owned yard has also been established in the Fahaheel Industrial Area to support these enforcement efforts.  

The campaign underscores the municipality’s dedication to maintaining cleanliness, enforcing regulations, and improving public spaces throughout Ahmadi Governorate.

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Kuwait Municipality Cracks Down on Unlicensed Advertisements in Ahmadi

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Kuwait Municipality Cracks Down on Unlicensed Advertisements in Ahmadi

Municipality inspection teams during the Ahmadi campaign.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept. 9: The Kuwait Municipality recorded 47 advertisement violations during the launch of its first field inspection campaign in Ahmadi Governorate, the municipality announced on Monday.

The campaign, aimed at checking shops’ health and advertisement licenses, seeks to ensure compliance with regulations governing commercial and advertising activities.

Head of the inspection team in Ahmadi, Abdulaziz Al-Azmi, said in a press statement that the tours focus on verifying the validity of advertisement licenses and taking necessary regulatory measures against violators.

He stressed that failure to issue or renew advertisement licenses, or breaches of advertisement regulations, could lead to fines of up to KD 5,000. Violation reports will be issued in such cases, he added.

Al-Azmi explained that the Ahmadi campaign will be followed by similar inspections in all governorates, according to a timetable prepared by the Public Relations Department in coordination with the relevant authorities.

He urged shop owners to comply with municipal laws and regulations, noting that inspection teams from safety departments across the six governorates remain committed to enforcing the Kuwait Municipality’s systems through regular field campaigns.

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