Appeal Filed by Sorcerer Convicted of Money Laundering

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

A 30-year-old man convicted of money laundering is appealing his five-year prison sentence and a fine of 50,000 Bahraini dinars. His conviction arises from employing sorcery and fraud to con a Bahraini couple out of over BD100,000 in cash and assets.

The High Criminal Court has also ordered the confiscation of 96,000 Bahraini dinars and an additional 41,000 Bahraini dinars in assets deemed proceeds of crime, along with the seizure of two vehicles tied to the offenses.

The defendant, who is currently serving a three-year sentence and a 5,000 Bahraini dinar fine for previous fraud, was found guilty of laundering money acquired through deceitful means. Following the sentencing, he lodged an appeal which will be heard before the High Appeals Court on January 28, 2025.

The charges against him stem from a fraudulent scheme in which the defendant posed as a cleric capable of performing Quranic healing. He allegedly convinced the couple to relinquish their possessions, including the wife’s jewelry, two cars, a parcel of land, and cash, amounting to over BD100,000.

Throughout earlier hearings, the defendant’s absence was noted, while the victim's lawyer, Zahra Ali, was present, advocating for the seizure of the defendant’s assets on behalf of her clients.

The Public Prosecution maintained that the funds found in the defendant's account were the proceeds from the fraudulent sale of the victim's land. Evidence presented demonstrated that he sold this land for 96,000 Bahraini dinars and transferred ownership of one of the stolen vehicles to his brother.

Additionally, the prosecution showed that the defendant had possession of another vehicle and 41,700.411 Bahraini dinars, all traced back to his criminal activities. The victims provided a harrowing account of how the defendant practiced sorcery and fraud, administering charmed honey and water that exacerbated his mental and physical condition, impairing his ability to make rational decisions.

The defendant manipulated the victims into believing their land was cursed, asserting that it needed to be transferred into his name to lift the supposed curse. Moreover, the victims were coerced into paying over 19,000 Bahraini dinars for alleged treatments, alongside two cars and jewelry worth 7,000 Bahraini dinars.