Bahraini Man Sentenced to Three Years for Renewing Ex-Wife's Residency through Fake Marriage

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

The Cassation Court upheld the sentences from both the High Criminal Court and the High Appeals Court, sentencing a Bahraini man to three years in prison for unlawfully renewing his ex-wife's residency in the Kingdom for four years by falsely claiming that their marital relationship was ongoing.

This occurred despite their divorce several years prior and her subsequent marriage to another Gulf national. The court also ordered the deportation of the ex-wife following the completion of her sentence. The woman was earlier sentenced to three years behind bars.

The case unfolded when a visa technician reported that the defendant had approached the administration requesting the cancellation of his ex-wife’s residency. It was revealed that he divorced her in 2013, yet she remained under his sponsorship.

He repeatedly renewed her residency, presenting applications in person and asserting that they were still married, as her residency as a foreign national required such a request from a spouse.

The defendant submitted forged documents over the years to support his claim that she was still his wife. During the public prosecution's investigation, he admitted that the divorce had occurred in 2013, but he continued to renew her residency under the pretense of their ongoing marriage.

The ex-wife corroborated this, acknowledging their divorce and her subsequent marriage to another man, while also revealing an agreement between them to renew her residency throughout this time.

The prosecution charged the defendant with manipulating data from the information technology system of the General Directorate of Nationality and Passports with the assistance of another employee, who acted in good faith. This manipulation aimed to present false data as accurate, as he claimed she was still his wife while renewing her residency three times.

Additionally, the defendant was found guilty of forgery involving official documents, specifically the visa stickers in the ex-wife's passport, again with the aid of the good-faith employee.

He altered the information on the visa and residency application forms and used the forged documents in the process. The prosecution also charged the ex-wife with complicity in the offenses leveled against the defendant.