In a move to unearth and fix corruption in the judiciary, and following a procedure consistent with the directives issued by the Deputy Amir His Highness Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Supreme Judicial Council decided to suspend seven judges and refer them for investigations on suspicious dealings with the Iranian national, Fouad Salehi, who is involved in a money laundering scandal, Al-Rai daily reports.
The daily said, all of the seven judges are Kuwaitis, and their names were mentioned in the investigations conducted by the security services of the Ministry of Interior in the case involving Fouad Salehi’s network for money laundering. The daily stated, quoting sources, that the decision was taken following extensive observation and deliberation of the nature of the case. It highlighted the keenness and confidence of the judiciary to cleanse itself of any signs of alleged corruption, and deal with the case in absolute transparency, which lead to this courageous decision that can be considered as unprecedented in the history of the Kuwait judiciary.
In this regard, legal sources said to Al Rai daily, “The judges will be summoned and probed over their statements and their responses to investigations over the case in which their names are mentioned.” They affirmed, “The decision to suspend the judges was made in the interest of the investigations in the case”.
The legal sources clarified that, “The decision does not mean a confirmation of the conviction, but rather it comes from the Supreme Judicial Council’s keenness to eliminate any suspicion on the integrity and transparency of the judicial authority and its independence.” They added that the move to suspend the judges should serve as an example for all government agencies in interpreting the directives of the Deputy Amir, both in word and action, on the ground. The sources affirmed that the investigations will reveal the facts, and those charged will be referred to the judiciary to complete the necessary procedures.
