Convict’s sentence suspended over ‘health conditions’

A man convicted of assaulting a policeman yesterday got his one year imprisonment sentence suspended for three years by the First High Criminal Court, considering his health conditions. The court’s verdict came as per the stipulations mentioned in Articles 72, 81 and 83 of the Kingdom’s Penal Code. The man was convicted of assaulting a policeman by kicking him on the knee, banging his head on the wall and pushing him around inside the prison.

As shown in court files, the victim tried to maintain order in the Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre in Jau, aka the Jau Central Prions. He asked the convict and another inmate to lower their voices so they don’t disturb other prisoners, but both ignored his request. The victim then took both inmates to the Administration building at the centre to meet the officer in charge. There, the convict took him by surprise and attacked him, causing the injuries mentioned in the medical report. The man was sentenced to one year imprisonment for the offence.

The court mentioned in its verdict that it had taken the circumstances of the case into consideration to suspend the defendant’s sentence. Article 72 of the Bahraini Penal Code mentions: “If an offence is committed under extenuating circumstances and the judge feels the need for clemency, the penalty shall be reduced. “If the prescribed penalty is a death sentence, it may be reduced to life or term imprisonment.

“Further, if the penalty is life imprisonment, it may be reduced to term imprisonment or a jail sentence for a period of less than six months. “Where the penalty is a term imprisonment, the judge shall not inflict the maximum penalty but may reduce it to imprisonment for no less than three months.”

As for Article 81, it stipulates the following: “Upon passing a sentence of a fine or imprisonment for a period of no more than one year, a judge may order a stay of execution if it is established from the accused’s conduct, past circumstances of his crime or age that there is reason to believe that he will not commit another offence. The judgement shall show the reason for the stay of execution.” While Article 83 reads: “Stay of execution shall be for a period of three years from the date on which the judgement becomes final.”