KUWAIT: Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah yesteday told the National Assembly that the public prosecution has started an investigation into the suspected suicide of the prisoner who was accused of assaulting jailed opposition figure and former MP Musallam Al-Barrak last month. The minister said three senior officers have been suspended for three months until the investigation into the issue is completed. Last month, Barrak, who is serving his last days of a two-year jail term, was attacked by an inmate serving a jail term for abusing drugs.

Barrak escaped unhurt but opposition MPs demanded that the incident be investigated, especially after reports that the attacker was moved to Barrak's ward at the Central Jail just a few days ago and his transfer was not in line with regulations. The interior ministry announced late Monday that the assailant, a non-Kuwaiti, was found hanging in his ward and that an investigation was immediately launched. A number of opposition MPs said that there is a lot of suspicion surrounding the whole case and demanded that Barrak be accorded sufficient protection.

Several MPs even demanded that senior officers responsible for the Central Jail must be suspended while an independent investigation is launched. Sheikh Khaled insisted that the ministry has nothing to hide and will provide all the information about the case. During the debate, MPs approved a proposal to set a two-hour debate after two weeks about the employment of Kuwaiti citizens and the rising rate of appointing expats in public jobs.

By B Izzak