Municipality refers top official for probe in ‘land-grabbing’ scandal

Arrest warrant for 15 workers issued

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 2: Kuwait Municipality has translated the statement “Law is applied on all without exception” into reality by referring one of its senior officials for investigations over his involvement in the so-called “Scandal of the warehouses” and unlawful transgression on state properties, reports Al-Rai daily.

According to an official source from Kuwait Municipality, a Kuwaiti citizen uploaded a video clip on social media in which a number of workers can be seen taking over a piece of land in Kabad grazing area for selling fodder. It was revealed that their residence permits were registered under a senior official in Kuwait Municipality.

The source explained that the video, which was seen by many leaders of the municipality, indicates that these workers set up a site and took it as a place to sell fodder. Some leaders of the municipality have been maintaining silence about this scandal. The high leadership of Kuwait Municipality issued a decision last week to suspend one of the managers because of this scandal.

Arrest warrant issued:

Minister of Commerce and Industry Khalid Al-Rawdhan has granted an arrest warrant for the detention of 15 employees of Insurance Department, reports Aljarida daily quoting informed sources.

They explained that the judicial arrest warrants are issued to employees to seize those who violate Law No. 24/1961 and its amendments as well as the ministerial decisions applicable to companies working in the insurance field.

As per the second article of the relevant ministerial decision, the employees of the department are entitled to seize the violators and prove the violations.

KPA boss acquitted:

The Court of Appeals has acquitted Kuwait Ports Authority (KPA) Director General Sheikh Yousef Al-Abdullah and some officials of a television channel of offending a company.

Consequently, the court cancelled the verdict of a lower court which fined the accused.

Earlier, the Public Prosecution pressed charges against the presenter, producer and director of a television channel for broadcasting an interview with Sheikh Yousef Al-Abdullah as it included statements deemed offensive to a company’s executives.

The Criminal Court previously fined the television officials KD 3,000 each while Sheikh Yousef Al-Abdullah was fined KD 150.

However, the lawyer of Sheikh Yousef, Attorney Abdulaziz AlEnezi, challenged the verdict and filed a petition at the higher court. He called for dismissal of the case, citing lack of criminal intent on the part of his client who did not utter any word that can be considered libelous.

He asserted Sheikh Yousef is a public figure who has pointed out companies’ public funds violations as he is determined to improve KPA due to its importance to the economy. He argued Sheikh Yousef’s statement during the interview was aimed at protecting public funds in his capacity as director general of KPA in front of two authorities legislative and executive.

Shameful ‘mistake’:

An unidentified foreigner who entered a ‘Coffee Bean’ shop in Salmiya for a cup of coffee got the taste of racism, reports Al-Rai daily. The man visited the Al-Rai daily and complained that he asked a waitress for a cup of coffee and was shocked when she wrote on the bill Nigga, which normally means black.

It is customary in cafés that the waiter/waitress asks for the name of the customer while processing his/her request, but the waitress did not do so and instead committed the ‘shameful’ mistake.

Interpol help sought:

Kuwait has enlisted the aid of Interpol to arrest a military officer accused of stealing public funds, its interior ministry said on Sunday.

Kuwait’s interior ministry has worked closely with the global police body to repatriate one of the suspects involved in the squander of public funds to ensure that he ultimately stands trial, the ministry said in a statement. It emphasized that the misuse of public funds is punishable under the rule of law, vowing to pursue and bring to justice anybody involved in such nefarious practices.

Twice in a month:

For the second time in one month, fire broke out in the main electrical cable of the science laboratory of Al-Wataniya Fahaheel School, which is a private school, says Al-Seyassah.

Firefighters managed to extinguish the fire within a short time. No casualties were reported. Police have arrested an unidentified Filipina married to a Kuwaiti. She was taken into custody for selling homemade food near the Philippine Embassy, reports Al-Rai daily.

The arrest came after a Kuwaiti woman posted a video clip in the social media showing several women selling foodstuffs near the embassy without permission from the concerned authorities.

A security source said patrolmen rushed to the place but found one woman outside the embassy selling food.

When she was referred to the concerned authority to prepare her deportation from the country, the authorities discovered they could not deport her because she is married to a Kuwaiti.

However, other measures will be taken against her.