Sentence upheld, suspended

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A man in his thirties kept his six-month jail term after the High Criminal Appeals Court upheld the conviction but ordered the sentence suspended for three years.

Judges took that step after the defendant returned BD650 and the victim signed a waiver.

The Lower Criminal Court had found him guilty of entering the victim’s residence and taking SR6,500, equivalent to BD650, from a wallet.

The victim said he saw the intruder, later identified him with complete certainty from a photograph shown by police, and lodged the complaint that led to the case.

Certificate

On appeal, lawyer Abdulaziz Mousa filed a certificate from the Court Affairs confirming the deposit of the stolen sum with the court treasury, together with a notarised waiver from the victim.

He told the court his client would not repeat the offence and asked for a stay of execution.

In its reasons, the appeals court said the first-instance judgment set out facts that met all elements of the offence and rested on evidence it accepted, including the victim’s statement in the investigation file.

Ruling

The appellant, it added, brought nothing new to disturb the ruling.

The court said penalty assessment and any leniency are matters for the trial court’s discretion and need no detailed explanation.

Citing Articles 81 and 83, it upheld the conviction and sentence, and ordered the suspension for three years in light of the repayment and waiver.