The Sixth Criminal Appeal Chamber of the Court of Appeals, presided over by Judge Najib Al-Mulla, overturned the initial ruling of the Mishref Pump Station case, acquitting the defendants after six years of legal proceedings.
The Public Prosecution had accused the defendants of deliberately damaging the new Mishref Pump Station, owned by the Ministry of Public Works, rendering it unusable by failing to operate, maintain the station, and provide the necessary spare parts for its main systems. This, according to the prosecution, prevented the station from being repaired. As a result, the defendants were referred to court.
The Criminal Court of First Instance had initially sentenced the defendants, with the primary four accused receiving seven years of hard labor, alongside a bail of 3,000 KWD each to suspend the execution of their sentence for the first charge. The court also sentenced three of them and another defendant to one year of hard labor with a 500 KWD bail for the second charge. Additionally, the court imposed a two-year sentence with hard labor and a 1,000 KWD fine on other defendants for a third charge, along with dismissing them from their public positions. The fourth defendant received one year of hard labor and a 500 KWD fine for a separate charge, and the court also ordered the deportation of the first four and ninth defendants after serving their sentences.
The defendants appealed the judgment, and during the appeal process before the Sixth Criminal Appeal Chamber, the defendants entrusted their defense to the law firm of Abdulhamid Al-Sarraf and Salah Al-Faddaghi. Attorney Abdulhamid Al-Sarraf, along with defense attorneys Shraian Al-Shraian and Ahmed Al-Shammari, presented their arguments before the court. The defense team thoroughly refuted the accusations, demonstrating the collapse of the legal elements of the alleged crime and proving that there was nonegligence on the part of their clients.
The defense also highlighted theflaws in the initial court's ruling, showing the Court of Appeals that thereasons behind the conviction were unfounded. In conclusion, the Court ofAppeals ruled in favor of the defendants, overturning the previous ruling andacquitting them of all charges.
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