Cop’s acquittal overturn for physical attack

Manama: The Third High Criminal Court has overturned an acquittal sentence decided by a lower court in favour of a public security officer, saying that he was guilty and sentencing him to BD100 fine.

Deputy Chairman of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Mohammed Khalid Al-Hazza said that the Third High Criminal Court acted yesterday as a Court of Appeals regarding the SIU’s appeal against the court ruling that acquitted a public security officer of physically attacking an inmate.

According to the case documents, the policeman assaulted an inmate at the Reform and Rehabilitation Directorate on June 30, 2015.

The SIU launched its investigations into the incident, and questioned the victim and the witnesses, Al-Hazza said.

He added that the report of the SIU’s forensic expert found that the victim sustained injuries that were consistent with his account of the incident.

The SIU also questioned the suspect, and ordered his referral to the Lower Criminal Court, which on March 17 acquitted him of the charges against him.

“However, the SIU was not satisfied with the acquittal verdict, and used its legal rights to challenge it,” he added.

The Third High Criminal Court accepted the appeal and issued its guilty verdict yesterday.