A Bahraini ex-MP, who received eight years in jail in two cases, has challenged the verdicts before a Bahraini court.
The ex-MP was awarded the jail terms for being found guilty of claiming insurance after setting his gym on fire, refusing an arrest warrant by posing as his brother before police officers by illegally using his brother’s ID card.
The ex-MP’s lawyer told the court that his client could not challenge the verdict earlier as he was suffering from chronic illness.
The man allegedly burned down his gym to claim insurance to the tune of BD1.5 million, police files say. Police have also identified a gym worker who filled and placed fuel cans in the gym as required by the suspect.
The man reportedly was not earning from the facility and was finding it hard to pay rent. Police said after suffering frequent harassment, the man decided to make his way out of the situation. For which, he plotted a plan to burn the shop, after which he could claim the insurance.
He then worked the plan and approached the insurance company for claims. However, when the insurance company asked him to submit documents showcasing the original cause of the fire, he dodged raising suspicion.
The company then contacted the police and opened an investigation. After suspecting fraud, police secured an arrest warrant and started looking for the man. Around this time, a policeman on duty received a tip-off saying that the ex-MP was in Sanad. Explaining the incidents, the officer told the court, “I went to the reported location and saw a man with similar physical attributes and resemblance to the suspect.”
“Hence, we approached the vehicle and asked for his identity card. “However, while crosschecking with the official data, we found that the card was his brother’s. “He, however, made full use of the opportunity and fled the spot before we could stop him.”
