'Criminal Court': 4 Years in Prison and KD 25,000 Fine for Cooperative Head on Money Laundering Charges

The Criminal Court, presided over by Advisor Al-Duwaihi and composed of Judges Ibrahim Kharib and Faisal Al-Adher, with Mohammed Malallah serving as clerk, sentenced the chairman of the board of directors of a cooperative society to four years’ imprisonment with hard labor, a fine of 25,000 dinars, and confiscation of 46,000 dinars. The conviction was on charges of money laundering and abuse of authority, which resulted in serious damage to the cooperative’s assets and interests, and in the chairman unlawfully obtaining personal benefits from its dealings with suppliers.

The Public Prosecution attributed to the defendant the commission of a money laundering offense amounting to 46,508.795 dinars, by intentionally possessing, acquiring, using, transferring, and moving funds deposited into his bank accounts and the bank accounts of his wife’s mother, fully aware that these funds were proceeds of crime—specifically, money he unlawfully obtained for himself in exchange for supplying products through those companies, exploiting his official position.