14.5% RISE IN CRIMINAL CASES IN 2022

NAMING THE CULPRIT IN MEDIA IS A PUNISHMENT

Bounced cheques continue to top among the reported crimes in the Sultanate of Oman in 2022 followed by violations of Foreign Residency Law. Overall, the number of criminal cases filed with the Public Prosecution Authority rose by 14.5 per cent to 32,277 in 2022, compared to 2021.

Among reported cases, bounced cheques and Foreign Residency violations represented 14.9 per cent and 11.7 per cent respectively.

At the annual briefing titled ‘In the name of society’, the Public Prosecution Department revealed there were 6,500 bounced cheque cases, while 5,176 violations of Foreign Residence Law were reported in the country last year.

Other crimes included violation of Omani Labour Law (4,557/10.3 per cent), 3,242 offences involving drugs and psychotropic substances (7.3 per cent), 2,911 IT crimes and cases in electronic transactions (6.6 per cent).

Addressing the gathering, Nasr bin Khamis al Sawa’ee, Public Prosecutor, and Dr Ahmed bin Said al Shukaili, Assistant Public Prosecutor, said 43 moneylaundering cases were reported, while the Public Prosecution prepared over 60,000 investigation reports, and issued 150,000 judicial orders. Total recovery stood at RO 12,418,971.

There were 30,543 cases of misdemeanor (increase of 14.7 per cent compared to 2021); and 1,378 cases of felony (9.8 per cent increase). The rate of completion of cases rose to 97 per cent; and cases referred to the courts stood at 19,558.

According to the briefing, in 2022 there were 2,833 cases of violation of Consumer Protection Law (6.4 per cent); 2,730 against human freedom and dignity (6.2 per cent); 2,372 theft and extortion of money (5.3 per cent); 2,362 fraud (5.2 per cent); 2,308 Traffic Law violations (5.2 per cent); 9,368 other crimes constituted 21.1 per cent.