Appeals Court acquits bedoun, Iraqi woman in hashish smuggling case

The Court of Appeal has overturned the life sentences issued against a stateless man and an Iraqi resident who were convicted by a lower court of smuggling 158 kilograms of hashish into Kuwait via sea with intent of trafficking.

The defense attorney Enaam Haidar, proved to the court that there were flaws in the case filed by the Public Prosecution which had accused the duo of bringing the drugs into Kuwait on a cruiser which had reportedly entered from Iranian territorial waters.

The Prosecution state the Coast Guard intercepted the vessel inside Kuwait’s territorial waters and arrested the suspects, and seized eight bags, each containing multiple nylon-wrapped packages of what was suspected to be hashish, reports Al-Rai daily.

The case was built on the Coast Guard reports, radar surveillance data, and confessions allegedly made by the defendants. However, according to investigators, the drugs were received from a person identified as “Abu Sajjad” and were intended for delivery to another party in Kuwait.

However, during the appeal, attorney Haidar challenged the legal basis of the case, pointing out critical gaps in the evidence and inconsistencies in the accounts given by the arresting officers.

She argued that the statements of defendants were obtained under ‘duress’ and hence lacked credibility. Furthermore, she emphasized the absence of technical reports, fingerprints, or any proof that her clients were aware of the contents of the bags or had any intent to distribute drugs.

Haidar portrayed the case as one driven by assumptions and faulty investigations, highlighting that the prosecution’s witnesses gave contradictory statements and failed to present a coherent account of the seizure. With no direct material evidence linking the accused to drug trafficking, the Court of Appeal ruled to acquit both defendants.