A MAN jailed for life for stockpiling weapons that were used in attacks against policemen had his sentence slashed on appeal.
In March 2016, Bahrainis Ahmed Jaffer Mohammed, Redha Al Ghasra and Jaffer Nasser Joma’a were each sentenced to 25 years behind bars by the High Criminal Court, after finding them guilty of possessing unlicensed weapons and ammunition.
However, Ahmed Jaffer Mohammed lodged an appeal at the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court which reduced his sentence to just three years yesterday.
“The court used sympathy in handing out the ruling and the defendant’s jail term has been cut to three years,” read the appeals court ruling.
“The three initially used a graveyard to stash their firearms, but since 2012 started using Jaffer Nasser Joma’a’s apartment in Sitra for the purpose.
“Joma’a then bought a pistol for BD350 from Al Ghasra, who was accused of being a weapons dealer.
“He claimed that he had purchased the weapon for self-defence.
“Acting on a tip-off, the apartment was raided and Joma’a was caught red-handed as he tried to set the premises on fire to get rid of the weapons.”
Police raided the apartment on May 6, 2015 and found three AK47s and four pistols, including a Tactical Hulk pistol, along with 20 green laser pointers.
Prosecutors argued that the weapons were used in several terror attacks across the country.
A policeman, who previously took to the stand, said Joma’a used smoke from the blaze to escape undetected before barricading himself in one of the rooms.
He said Civil Defence officials had to break down the door using a special machine.
“Joma’a said that his co-defendants had given him the weapons to hide,” added the ruling.
“Based on their confessions and evidence presented by prosecutors, the defendants were found guilty of possessing illegal firearms.”
According to case files, Joma’a was previously sentenced to 50 years behind bars in absentia in connection with two terrorism cases, while Mohammed was earlier sentenced to 10 years in absentia in a rioting case.
Pictures of the AK47s and the pistols were attached to court document as evidence.
Al Ghasra was previously sentenced for a combined total of 165 years in prison in connection with a number of terror convictions.
He was killed in a shootout with police on February 9, 2017.
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