Court reopens arguments in Assembly storming case

Finance minister denies losing $70 billion

KUWAIT: The Court of Appeals yesterday reopened the door for fresh defense arguments in the case of storming the National Assembly in which 70 activists are defendants. The defendants, who include 11 present and former lawmakers, are charged with storming the National Assembly building during protests in 2011. The lower court had acquitted all of them. MPs involved in the case include Jamaan AlHarbash and Waleed Al-Tabtabai and former lawmakers include Mussallam Al-Barrak and others.

Judge Ibrahim Al-Obaid set the next hearing for July 5. The Constitutional Court meanwhile set September 20 to issue its verdict on the controversy that surrounded the election of the deputy Speaker. Two candidates contested the election and Issa AlKundari emerged the winner after a re-vote. In the first vote, MP Harbash came ahead with one vote but did not secure the absolute majority needed for him to win.

So, a re-voting was called and Kundari was declared the winner. The loser candidate MP Harbash challenged the result and said that he should have been declared the winner in the first vote. The controversy was reviewed by the legal and legislative committee which recommended that it be sent to the Constitutional Court whose rulings are final.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Anas Al-Saleh categorically denied reports that Kuwaiti assets abroad have lost around $70 billion. The minister reiterated that neither Kuwait Investment Authority (KIA), the country’s sovereign fund, nor the Public Institution for Social Security made such losses. The minister called for taking legal action against those who initiate such false reports. Saleh said that both KIA and the Social Security posted good profits in the past fiscal year. The minister told the closing session of the National Assembly two weeks ago that Kuwaiti fiscal reserves have reached their highest level ever at the end of March. He did not provide details.

MP Riyadh Al-Adasani meanwhile sent a number of questions to the Minister of Social Affairs and Labour Hind Al-Sabeeh about the activities of charity organizations and the fund raising activities. He said his questions come after Kuwaiti courts convicted several people of funding the Islamic State terror group. He asked the minister if there are any unlicensed bodies or individuals who can raise charity funds in Kuwait and demanded a list of their names if any. He also asked about the ministry mechanism of monitoring the collection of donations and also of spending them.