Prison term suspended after BD36,400 cheque debt repaid

Appeal judges have upheld the conviction of an investment company boss over two bounced cheques totalling BD36,400, but suspended his six-month jail term for three years after he paid the money into court.

According to the victim’s lawyer, Dr Mohammed Al Kawheji, the defendant issued two cheques worth BD18,200 each to his client as part of commercial dealings.

When the cheques fell due and were presented for payment, the bank returned them because there were not enough funds in the account. The court of first instance had earlier sentenced the man to six months in jail on the charge and fixed bail at BD100 to stop the sentence being carried out. He then challenged the ruling. In its reasons, the Court of Appeal said the appellant had appeared before it but had brought no new evidence.