Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — A Saudi court sentenced a Saudi citizen to 3 years in prison and SR300,000 in fine for forgery involving SR34 million, according to the Public Prosecution. The citizen was convicted of misusing three checks belonging to a charity society for committing the forgery.

The Crimes Against Public Trust wing of the Public Prosecution started investigation into the charges against a citizen accused of violating the Penal Law for Forgery Crimes. It was found in investigations that the citizen illegally obtained a checkbook belonging to a non-profit charitable association and misused three of its checks to forge amounts estimated at more than SR34 million. He submitted the checks to financial institutions for disbursement, claiming that they were meant for contract work for the maintenance projects affiliated with the charity outfit. It was found that he forged a document with fabricated signature of its CEO and a seal of the firm.

Subsequently, the citizen was arrested and referred him to the competent court, providing evidence of his accusation, and the court pronounced its verdict, awarding him three-year jail term and a hefty fine of SR300,000.

The Public Prosecution reiterated its commitment for the legal protection of documents and seals, and that any violation thereof through forgery is subject to criminal accountability, and the perpetrators will be referred to the competent courts to demand the imposition of statutory penalties against them.

The Penal Law for Forgery Crimes stipulates that any person who forges a non-official document shall be punished by imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding SR300,000 or by either penalty.