Court decides to hear petition filed by ‘Al-Watan’ chief editor

‘Return woman’s money’

By Jaber Al-Hamoud

KUWAIT CITY, July 27: The Misdemeanor Court of First Instance presided over by Judge Abdullah Al-Othman accepted the petition submitted by the Editor-in-Chief of Al-Watan newspaper Sheikh Khalifa Al-Ali against the Public Prosecution’s decision issued in April to withhold his petition against ret. Lieutenant General Abdul Fatah Al-Ali. The court has decided to hear the case.

The case was filed in February 2015 after Sheikh Khalifa and the retired officer had a heated argument when the latter led a team of officers to execute a court decision for shutting down Al-Watan newspaper and publishing company.

The Court of Appeals presided over by Judge Nayef Al-Dahoum later upheld the decision and imposed a fine of KD 1,000 on Sheikh Al-Ali as well as ordered him to pay temporary compensation worth KD 5,001 to Lieutenant General Al-Ali over the alleged verbal assault.

‘Return money’:

The Court of First Instance ordered a Kuwaiti citizen to pay KD 43,000 to a Kuwaiti woman after deceiving her by promising to marry her and swindling her of her money after convincing her to invest in a bogus business venture.

During the court session, Lawyer Abdulrahman Al-Watari insisted that the defendant cheated his client by convincing her to invest in a highly profitable business venture which however turned out to be phony.

He got the support of some individuals for convincing her to hand over her money to him. She eventually had to borrow money from the bank and gave it to him out of trust and innocent conviction that he will marry her.

‘Freeze account’:

The British Appeals bench of the Civil Court upheld the First Instance Court’s decision to freeze the accounts of former Public Institution of Social Security Director Fahd Al-Rajaan, his wife and children, reports Al-Qabas daily.

Kuwait’s Public Prosecution is reportedly seeking judicial assistance from Paris and Washington to take a similar step against Al-Rajaan and his family, such that Al-Rajaan is pursued in all countries where he may have bank accounts in order to recover the money he embezzled from the institution.

Proposal rejected:

The Ministry of Justice rejected the proposed minimum fee of KD500, which will go to the State Treasury, for the registration of any case, reports Al-Anba daily.

The ministry based its decision on Article 134 of the Constitution which stipulates, “No general tax shall be imposed, amended or abolished except by law. No one is exempted, wholly or partially, from the duty to pay taxes except in cases specified by law. No one is required to pay any other tax, fee or charge except within the limits of the law.”

This is in response to the proposal submitted by MP Hamad Al-Harshany on the case registration fee that aims to reduce the number of malicious cases filed against innocent people.