KUWAIT CITY, Feb 6: The Criminal Court, headed by Judge Nayef Al-Dahoum, sentenced the owner and the director of a car sales office to 10 years in prison and fined them KD33 million in a money laundering case. The court also ordered freezing the company’s accounts and referral of the case to the Civil Court. Attorney Abdul Mohsen Al-Qattan, in his capacity as representative of a number of the victims, said: “The court does not take into account the defendants’ denial, especially since there is no evidence to support their claim that they did not commit the crime. The Public Prosecution referred them for trial based on incriminating evidence.”

Al-Qattan added “the actions of the defendants harmed the victims and disrupted commercial transactions; hence, the need to impose the harshest penalties on them as per the law. In this manner, the victims can reclaim their rights.” He revealed the two defendants were charged with fraud and laundering large sums after more than 500 people in and outside the country accused them of swindling. He said the defendants laundered the amounts they collected from the victims, which are estimated at more than KD17 million and QAR 1.5 million, to hide their illegal source. They deceived the victims by deluding them about the possibility of purchasing luxury vehicles at a lower price, and these vehicles will be shipped and delivered to them. Earlier, the prosecution referred two citizens and a general trading and contracting company to the court for claiming that they could import cars at prices lower than the actual value and deliver them within a short period.
By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff and Agencies