KUWAIT CITY, Jan 20: The Criminal Court has acquitted a Kuwaiti citizen accused of molesting his minor niece and unlawfully depriving her of her freedom. The court determined that the charges were based on a malicious report and found no conclusive evidence to support the allegations. The Public Prosecution had charged the defendant with forcibly molesting the child, accusing him of deliberately touching her private parts while he was raising her and holding authority over her. Additionally, the defendant was charged with unlawfully detaining the child in circumstances not permitted by law.

Defending the accused, lawyer Abdul Mohsen Al-Qattan argued that the charges of indecent assault were not supported by the case papers and the evidence failed to substantiate the accusations. Al-Qattan emphasized that there was no proof of the elements necessary to charge the defendant with unlawful detention, stating that the accusations were fabricated and malicious.

Al-Qattan further explained that indecent assault is inherently an intentional crime, noting that the law does not recognize unintentional indecent assault. He argued that for such a crime to be committed, there must be clear intent, with the perpetrator fully aware of the unlawful nature of their actions. He pointed out that the act of violating modesty must be accompanied by a deliberate denial of the victim’s consent.

By Jaber Al-Hamoud
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff & Agencies