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AN accountant who was convicted of extortion after he demanded a BD100,000 ransom for official documents and stamps that he stole has appealed against his guilty verdict.
Last month, the High Criminal Court sentenced the 61-year-old Egyptian to seven years behind bars, fined him BD10,000 and ordered his deportation after completing his sentence.
His lawyers have now taken to the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court in an attempt to get the conviction overturned, and asked that he be granted compassionate release due to his health condition.
“The appellant is suffering from advanced heart disease and hypertension and has had multiple strokes in the past,” lawyer Hassan Bedaiwi said in a defence memo submitted to judges.
“While under custody in the Dry Dock Detention Centre, he suffered from three to four cardiology crises and had to be transported to Salmaniya Medical Complex to receive immediate care.
“This also happened around four times in Jaw Prison,” the lawyer claimed, referencing medical documents which he attached with the memo.
“He should be released so that his family can take care of him at home and give continuous treatment.”
The defence promised that the appellant would attend all future court hearings, pledged to pay any amount for his bail, and asked that he be placed on a travel ban list to ensure he remains in the country.
The lawyers had once before sought the Egyptian man’s release, during the initial trial, submitting medical reports documenting two heart attacks and a stroke, along with diagnoses of diabetes and Hepatitis C.
“The courts know where the defendant lives, and he has family ties in Bahrain, so there is no risk of him fleeing the country before a judgment is issued,” an earlier memo read.
Meanwhile, the accountant and university lecturer who specialised in taxation and zakat repeatedly denied the allegations and in several outbursts in court insisted upon his innocence.
However, the High Criminal Court convicted him on the basis of a video and audio recordings made during a sting operation, in which he was caught with the ransom money.
The GDN previously reported that the man was appointed by the High Civil Court in 2017 to help settle a company’s dues and outstanding payments.
After being given supplies and stationery belonging to the company in order for him to fulfil his duties, he reportedly refused to return them when his association with the company ended.
He allegedly asked a previous owner of the now-defunct company for a BD100,000 pay-off in order to give the items back, but was caught red-handed by police.
Prosecutors said that the company had filed a complaint to the General Directorate of Anti-corruption and Economic and Electronic Security, which launched an investigation into the matter.
“The prosecution granted a warrant to authorities to monitor the defendant’s phone calls, which proved that he kept the documents in his place of residence, and that he asked for BD100,000 to return them,” the statement read.
In 2020, the High Civil Court dismissed him from his role when suspicions arose about his corrupt dealings.
The appeals hearing has been adjourned to January 15 for prosecution and defence arguments.
zainab@gdnmedia.bh
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