Former Kuwaiti PM gives final testimony in 'coup case'

Kuwait’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah finished giving his statement to the state’s prosecutor general yesterday evening in the case brought against him and the country’s former parliament speaker Jassem al-Khorafi.

Emad Al-Saif, the former prime minister’s lawyer, said in a press statement after the investigation was concluded: “Today we have finished hearing the testimony of His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah regarding the case submitted by Sheikh Ahmed Fahd Al-Sabah.”

According to the press statements by his lawyer, Ahmed Fahd Al-Sabah, a former minister, accuses both the former prime minister and the former parliament speaker of committing crimes against state security, planning a coup, money laundering, abuse of public funds and financial dealings with Israel.

Al-Sai added: “The prosecutor general listened to Shaikh Nasser’s detailed answers to all the allegations in Shaikh Ahmed’s lawsuit, and as you can see, the investigation is over and Shaikh Nasser has returned to his home.”

He said that the matter is now in the hands of the prosecution and that it will carry out its duties in evaluating the testimony. Al-Saif also expressed his confidence in the prosecution, stressing that he will reveal details that do not violate the prosecutor general’s ban on publically announcing the matter.

As of last Thursday, Shaikh Nasser has appeared before the prosecution six times.

Shaikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah served as Kuwait’s prime minister between February 2006 and November 2001, while Jassem Al-Khorafi served as parliament speaker between 1999 and 2011.