KUWAIT CITY, Feb 11: The Court of Cassation, headed by Judge Abdullah Al-Jassem, sentenced a State Security officer to seven years in prison, a lawyer to four years in prison, and a citizen to five years in prison for consuming hashish, while it acquitted an Iranian in the same case and canceled the life sentence imposed on him, and acquitted all defendants of smuggling and trafficking drugs. Case files indicate that the Ministry of Interior personnel arrested the defendants while trying to smuggle about 200 kilograms of hashish into the country.

The Public Prosecution charged all defendants with smuggling the hashish with the intent to trade in it under illegal circumstances. It also charged one of the defendants with smuggling psychotropic substances ‘pregabalin’ and ‘amphetamine’ and the possession of hashish with the intent to sell it under illegal circumstances, as well as driving under the influence of drugs. Another defendant was charged with possessing hashish with the intent to use it without proving that he was legally authorized to do so. Attorney Abdul Mohsen Al-Qattan, the lawyer of this defendant whose 15-year prison sentence was canceled, argued that the investigations were inconclusive. He demanded the acquittal of his client.

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