Bahrain Mirror: The First High Criminal Court of Appeal in Bahrain upheld a three-year prison sentence issued against a defendant for falsifying an identification card claiming to be a member of the intelligence service, and searching the residence of two Gulf nationals.

The case was discovered only after the defendant (45 years old) was taken into custody over sexual assault incident and referred to detention. The police found in his personal belongings that were seized a forged military identification card that read it was issued by the Ministry of the Interior. The defendant was summoned by the Public Prosecution where he confessed about the incident.

The Public Prosecutor's Office charged the accused with forging an official document and referring its issuance to the Ministry of the Interior. He had also impersonated a judicial officer and performed some of his duties by entering the victims house against their will.

A court of first instance sentenced him to three years in prison and ordered the confiscation of the counterfeit card. He challenged the ruling and the court accepted the appeal in form and rejected it in substance, upholding the appealed ruling.

Arabic Version