Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah

KUWAIT: The Interior Ministry’s Assistant Undersecretary for Nationality and Passports Affairs Major General Sheikh Mazen Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah learned about a case involving a Saudi man who reportedly bought the Kuwaiti nationality from a citizen, so he asked detectives to investigate.

When the information was confirmed, the suspect was placed under surveillance, then his Mangaf house was raided, where Tramadol tablets were found. He claimed the drugs were for his personal use.

The man said that in 2000, he agreed with a Kuwaiti citizen, identified only by his initials ‘M A’ to buy the nationality for KD 20,000, and after the agreement was made, M A went to the nationality department and gave false information enabling him to add the Saudi to his file under a different name as his son.

He was then able to get a nationality certificate and a Kuwaiti passport that enabled him to own a car rental office with more than 160 cars of various brands.

The Saudi, whose real name is identified in the report as ‘H R’ said he used his Saudi nationality to commit fraud and write bad cheques. He is also wanted in Saudi Arabia to serve a five-year jail sentence. H R was charged with forgery and receiving underserved advantages.

He will also be sent to the Drugs Control General Department for possession of drugs. The citizen who sold the nationality to the Saudi has been outside the country for a long time. His name is placed on the wanted list to be arrested on arrival. —Al-Rai