Bahrain customs broker faces jail time and fine for forgery, theft

TDT | Manama     

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

The Bahrain High Appeals Court has upheld a five-year prison sentence and a BD5,000 fine for a customs broker who forged a trademark registration certificate for a shop owner and stole BD800 from him.

The court found the defendant guilty of presenting a forged certificate to the Industry and Commerce Ministry, which was subsequently discovered.

The victim had approached the defendant to obtain a commercial registration certificate for his shop.

The defendant charged the victim BD800 and used a genuine commercial registration certificate issued by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce for a previous client.

He altered the certificate by deleting the previous client’s information and adding the victim’s shop’s commercial details.

When the victim presented the certificate to the ministry to complete the registration process, it was discovered to be fake. He then filed a complaint with the authorities.

Crime

Upon his arrest and questioning by the Public Prosecution, the defendant confessed to his crime. He admitted to using his computer to alter a genuine certificate issued by the Ministry, adding the victim’s shop’s commercial details.

A letter from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce confirmed that the Commercial and Industrial Property Department had not issued a commercial registration certificate to the victim’s company and that the number on the document belonged to another client’s commercial registration.

The court found the defendant guilty of forgery, fraud, and theft and sentenced him to five years in prison and a BD5,000 fine.

This case serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying official documents and the consequences of engaging in fraudulent activities.