Four get three years in jail, BD3,000 fine for setting election tent on fire

TDT | Manama                              

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Setting the election campaign tent of a candidate on fire in the 2022 Parliamentary and Municipal Council elections landed four men in jail for three years. A Court here said the men are guilty of the charges levelled against them and should also collectively pay a fine of BD3,000 to the victim as compensation.

Two of the suspects were caught from the crime scene during their attempts to flee by security guards, as the others turned themselves in, confessing to their crimes.

The tent was for welcoming voters and holding meetings to highlight plans for the General elections held in Bahrain on 12 November 2022 to elect Council of Representatives and municipal council members.

Over 500 candidates contested the race, including 334 for 40 parliamentary seats. Authorities said the total number of women candidates was more than double the 2018 figure at 94. The turnout among eligible voters was 73%, up from 67% in the 2018 election.

On the day of the incident, the suspects ganged up and collectively took a decision to burn the tent owned by the candidate. To mask their identities, the men also wore face masks and gloves and came to a preplanned spot carrying an empty bottle and a plastic pipe.

Before heading for the tent, the suspects filled the bottle with kerosene as two of them perched themselves a few steps away from the tent to monitor the surrounding area. Soon as the tent was on fire, the men tried in vain to flee the scene but were too late as they had already attracted the attention of security guards.

Security guards told the court that they caught the first defendant from the crime scene after a hot pursuit. Guards also found the third suspect from a nearby parked car shortly afterwards. The man was waiting for others to arrive.