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Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah arrives in court before a trial for forgery in connection with arbitration, in Geneva, Switzerland, on August 30, 2021. REUTERS / Denis Balibouse / File Photo
GENEVA, Sept. 10 (Reuters) – A Swiss criminal court will rule on Friday whether Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, an international sports power agent, used a fake Kuwaiti coup plot to gain an advantage over political rivals.
The counterfeiting case has divided the Kuwaiti ruling family and prompted Sheikh Ahmad, 58, to retire from some of his public sports roles, including membership in the International Olympic Committee.
The criminal fraud case was initiated in Switzerland, as one of the sheikh’s co-defendants was, at the time of the alleged conspiracy, a Geneva-based lawyer acting for Sheikh Ahmad.
The Sheikh, a former OPEC Secretary-General and a prominent member of the ruling family, is one of five defendants in the August 30 trial. The other defendants cannot be appointed for legal reasons.
A three-judge court is expected to issue its verdict on Friday afternoon. The prosecutor is asking for up to 30 months in prison for Sheikh Ahmad, of whom they should serve at least six months.
The sheikh denies all charges and his lawyers have asked the Geneva court to acquit his client. They declined to comment further. If convicted, defendants have the right to appeal.
The case revolves around videos purporting to show former Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed and former parliamentary speaker Jassem al-Kharafi conspiring to overthrow the then Emir of Kuwait.
Prosecutors allege that Sheikh Ahmad knew the videos, which he transmitted to Kuwaiti authorities, were counterfeits.
“(Sheikh Ahmad) acted to illegally promote his position, that is, to prove that the videos delivered to the Kuwaiti authorities were authentic,” the indictment said.
Sheikh Ahmad told the court last week that he had submitted the videos to the Kuwaiti authorities believing, at the time, that they were authentic.
In 2015, he publicly apologized in a statement via Kuwait TV to the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed, Al-Kharafi and their families for their role in the matter, saying he considered the videos they were genuine and credible.
Additional reports by Ahmed Hagagy in Kuwait; Edited by Jon Boyle
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