KUWAIT: The criminal court on Monday sentenced former deputy speaker of the national assembly Mohammad Al-Mutair to three years in jail on charges of offending judges and prosecutors by spreading false news. The sentence was issued in absentia as Mutair, a member of parliament for several terms, was outside Kuwait. He confirmed receiving the sentence on his X account. The former deputy speaker was involved in other cases before and was acquitted in one of them. He can challenge the ruling to the court of appeals.
In the meantime, the court of appeals on Monday upheld the acquittal of former MP Saleh Al-Mullah on charges of offending the head of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Mulla was acquitted by the criminal court and the appeals court confirmed the acquittal.
In another case, the court of appeals suspended a two-year jail term against Mulla for three years provided he maintains good conduct. The criminal court had issued the sentence against Mulla on charges of challenging the powers of the Amir, a state security offense under Kuwaiti law.
Meanwhile, the court of appeals on Monday upheld the death sentence against a young Kuwaiti man for killing his 85-year-old grandmother by cutting her throat with a knife. The murder took place in September last year and the 30-year old convict was a drug addict. No motives were given for the murder.
