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Kuwait: Court Sentences Three Egyptians To Seven Years For Manipulating Utility Bills

Gulf Insider6 days ago
Kuwait's Criminal Court has sentenced three Egyptians to seven years in prison for forging official documents and manipulating electricity and water bills, resulting in losses to public funds estimated at nearly KD1 million, according to Al Qabas Arabic daily.
The court found that the defendants had tampered with utility meters and falsified billing data for a businessman and two other Kuwaiti citizens, reducing or erasing charges in exchange for substantial bribes.
According to court documents, one of the defendants was employed as a data entry clerk at the Ministry of Electricity and Water's service centre.
Prosecutors said he conspired with the other two to exploit the ministry's electronic system, forging consumption records and cancelling charges on behalf of clients who paid for the service illegally.
The fraud was uncovered during an internal audit and referred to the Public Prosecution. The court convicted all three men of forgery, bribery, dereliction of official duty, and abuse of public office, and embezzlement of public funds.
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