Doctor gets 5-Year jail for 15-year paid absence from work

A doctor appointed at a Kuwaiti government-run hospital was sentenced to five years in jail as despite skipping work, he was taking full pay for the past 15 years.

A Kuwaiti criminal court also ordered the doctor to pay back the illegal salary and fined him twice as much, totaling one million Kuwaiti dinars ($3.2 million), as an international media outlet reported.

Certificate fraud in Kuwait carries a seven-year prison sentence.

Kuwait is stepping up its efforts to combat certificate fraud and imposing stiff penalties on perpetrators.

According to a government source in Kuwaiti media, the crackdown is a top priority, targeting employees who fail to follow the certificate verification procedure.

The campaign has identified three main charges for those involved in certificate forgery, including misappropriation of public funds, forgery, and cheating for illegal benefits and privileges.

Violators face up to seven years in prison as well as double restitution of any illegally obtained salaries and bonuses.

The drastic action comes in response to revelations that several employees, when asked to submit their certificates for audit, chose to retire instead. This development has raised suspicions, which will be further investigated.