Death sentence upheld for cop killer

The Fourth High Criminal Court yesterday awarded a man death penalty and stripped him of his citizenship for establishing and joining a terror group, killing an on-duty police officer and a civilian. Terror Crime Prosecution Chief Advocate General Ahmed Al Hammadi confirmed that the accused was also found guilty of causing an explosion and possessing weapons and explosives to use in acts of terror, as well as raising funds for a terror group, illegal rallying and rioting.

The case involving 23 defendants had been reviewed by a court that sentenced one of them to death and the others to life imprisonment. The court also revoked their citizenship and ordered two defendants to pay up BD200,000. The ruling was approved at the next stage by the Court of Appeals.

With regards to death penalty ruling, Al Hammadi added that the case was referred to the Cassation Court, in accordance with Bahrain’s laws, and the judges decided to send it back to the High Criminal Court that issued its verdict. The incidents took place on 8 December 2014, when the defendants placed bombs in Damistan and Karzakkan villages in the Northern Governorate, causing the death of policeman Ali Mohammed Ali in Damistan and a 72-year-old citizen in Karzakkan, in addition to injuring other policemen and civilians.