KUWAIT CITY – A Kuwaiti Criminal Court has sentenced two Gulf nationals to seven years in prison with hard labor for forging citizenship documents and misappropriating public funds. The ruling was issued on September 26 by a panel led by Judge Mubarak Al-Dhuwaihi, alongside Judges Hamad Al-Hajri and Faisal Al-Khudair.

The defendants were found guilty of falsely obtaining Kuwaiti nationality documents, as well as unlawfully claiming salaries and financial benefits. The court also ordered their deportation upon completion of their prison terms.

The verdict was delivered in absentia for the first defendant, who was fined KD 185,107 and will be deported after serving his sentence. The second defendant appeared before the court and was sentenced to seven years in prison with hard labor. In addition to the prison term, he was dismissed from his job and required to repay KD 103,318 and 389 fils. These funds were allocated back to the Kuwait Municipality, the Public Institution for Social Security, the Public Authority for Manpower, and the Public Authority for Housing Welfare, each receiving the specific sums misappropriated from their respective budgets.

Moreover, the court imposed a fine of KD 206,636 on the second defendant, amounting to twice the total value of the misappropriated funds. He too will be deported following the completion of his incarceration.

Authorities ordered the confiscation of all forged citizenship documents seized during the investigation. The case underscores ongoing efforts by Kuwaiti officials to combat fraud and protect state resources.