MP’s car burning case: Court ruling on Sept 9

Manama

Six persons suspected of burning MP Shaikh Majeed Al Asfoor's cars during the last year's elections will learn their fate on September 9.

 Two cars belonging to Shaikh Al Asfoor, who was elected un-opposed, were set on fire last year after he had registered as a parliamentary candidate in the Capital Governorate's constituency eight.

Of the six accused, aged between 15 and 23, only four are in police custody as the others are at large and are being tried in absentia.

Although the four suspects have pleaded not guilty, one of them had earlier admitted to prosecutors during investigation to committing the attack with firebombs, adding they wanted to give him a lesson after he decided to run for the parliamentary election.

The accused, a security man at a local mall said, “I went to my grandmother house in Sitra one day prior to the incident, where I met two of my friends (the co-accused).”

"They told me about his (Shaikh Al Asfoor’s) intention to contest in the election. Therefore, we decided to torch his cars to teach him a lesson. We wanted him to flee from our neighborhood," he added.

Prosecutors said the accused used firebombs to burn the cars, all of which were provided by their fifth accomplice.  All the accused were accused on grounds of arson, damaging private properties, firebombs possession and participating in an illegal gathering. They face up to 15 years behind bars if found guilty.

It's worth to note, a total of 13 candidates were attacked by arsonists during last year's elections. 

Election tents of Isa Ahmed Mustafa Turki, Sayed Abdulqader Abduljaleel and Abdulla Tarrar Sultan Ali were burnt in the Northern Governorate, while Ali Al Derazi, Jaffar Ibrahim Al Asfoor and Hussein Salman Al Hamer   had their cars torched.

Also, Mohammed Al Mawali had his car damaged in Molotov cocktail attack and Mohammed Mahdi Al Ekri's commercial garage in Sitra was set ablaze.