Innocent until found guilty; lawyer slams media rumors
By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Agencies
KUWAIT CITY, Aug 19: Attorney Zainab Al-Ramzi, the counsel to some suspects in the recent murder incident at 360 Mall, declared that the rumors circulating on the social media concerning the incident are untrue.
She denounced the act of murder, and prayed for peace of the soul of the deceased and strength for his family in bearing the irreparable loss.
Al-Ramzi urged the government to be more firm in dealing with the increasing number of murder cases inside shopping malls, requesting parents to be strict in monitoring their wards.
Indicating that some members of the public declare her clients, who are presumed to be innocent until proven otherwise in the court of law, as guilty of an offense when the case is still in the court, she stressed that such a move amounts to prejudice.
Attorney Al-Ramzi clarified that the charges against her clients are quite different from allegations against the prime suspect, affirming that deliberate murder is different from manslaughter and selfdefense.
She pointed out that the murder happened during a public brawl whereby the youths exchanged blows in the presence of eyewitnesses.
Al-Ramzi urged the public to desist from judging without knowing details of the incident, pledging to prove the innocence of her clients in this case at the court.
Meanwhile, an unidentified lawyer has lodged a complaint with the Public Prosecution against former MPs Khalid Al-Sultan, Jama’an Al-Harbash, Falah Al-Sawagh and Faisal Al-Mislim, accusing them of violating the National Unity Law, reports Al-Shahed daily.
Cases of fraudulent behaviour this week sparked an outpouring of anger and frustration in Kuwait, reports Gulf News.
In the first case a Kuwaiti was arrested for assuming several bogus personalities and cheating several young women, taking their money after promising to marry them.
The defendant posed as a businessman, a rich man, and a high-ranking officer in order to charm his way into unsuspecting women’s hearts.
He then swindled them of their money by telling them he would propose soon, but needed cash to move on towards preparing for the marriage.
However, once he took the money, he “vanished”, his victims said.
An investigation launched by the police allowed them to locate him and subsequently arrest him.
The police said that the man was wanted in connection with several financial cases.
In the second case, a Syrian national was arrested after he posed as a Kuwaiti military man to impress women.
The man was held when police checked his documents and discovered the fake military ID he used to win the hearts and minds of his victims.
When the policemen checked his mobile phone they discovered the pictures and numbers of several women, but he said they were his sisters.
The defendant will also face charges of swindling and theft after several people who recognised his picture filed suits against him.
In the third case, a Kuwaiti pretended he worked for the public prosecution and carried a card to support his claim.
He was arrested at a checkpoint when policemen had suspicions about him.
A check of his documents revealed that a professional ID card he had was not genuine and he was arrested.
Investigations showed that the man, in his 30s, worked at a ministry. He was referred to the authorities for further action, Kuwaiti daily Al Shahed reported.
However, sources told Kuwaiti daily Al Watan that the detainee did work in the past for the public prosecution, but that he was fired around six years ago.
The sources added that the defendant continued to use a public prosecution professional ID.
He reportedly used his account on Twitter to attack judges and public prosecution officers after he was fired.