Kuwait sentences royal to three years in prison

The Court of Cassation in Kuwait has sentenced former interior minister, Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled to three years in prison with hard labour in two “expenses” cases.

The court also imposed a fine of KD 3,000 and ordered that the sentences in both cases be merged, resulting in a single enforceable prison term of three years, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

The court had earlier reserved judgment on the appeal submitted by Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled against a ruling issued by the Ministers’ Court of Kuwait, which required him to repay amounts he spent from the budgets of the Ministries of Interior and Defense.

The lower court in Kuwait had sentenced him to a total of 14 years in prison, seven years in each case, and also ordered him to repay KD 10 million, along with an additional fine of about KD 20 million.

The charges were related to alleged embezzlement of funds from the budgets of the Ministries of Defense and Interior of Kuwait, and money laundering, with the latest ruling.

The Court of Cassation has closed the case by sentencing Sheikh Talal Al-Khaled to three years in prison in each case.