MP Papul jailed for 4 yrs in Kuwait

A criminal court in Kuwait on Thursday convicted Bangladeshi MP Kazi Shahid Islam Papul and jailed him for four years for money laundering and human trafficking. 

Kuwati media Al-Qabas and Al-Rai reported that Judge Abdullah Al Osman handed down the verdict.

The judge also gave two Kuwati officials, including former one of the country's Interior Ministry Mazen Al Jarrah, the same jail term for assisting Papul in the wrongdoings. 

Alongside, they were fined around 19 lakh Dinar each which equals about Tk 53 crore, the newspapers said.

Earlier on June 6 last year, Kuwait's Criminal Investigation Department arrested Papul.

At that time, Gulf News in a report said the prosecutors made three allegations against him - human trafficking, money laundering and selling resident permit to Bangladeshi workers there.

It was learned that he was apprehended following five Bangladeshi nationals alleged that Papul, an independent lawmaker from Laxmipur-2 constituency, took more than Tk 8.25 lakh from them each to send them to Kuwait.

Besides, they had to pay him newly every year for residency VISA renewal, they had alleged.