Iraqi Criminal Court Puts Former Najaf Governer Behind Bars

Baghdad , Iraq Contact: Shane Wolfe 1-914-822-4935 IRAQ ’S CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT SENDS FORMER GOVERNOR OF NAJAF TO PRISON FOR 14 YEARS Baghdad , Iraq ... November 3, 2003 – After a three-day trial, Iraq ’s Central Criminal Court today convicted the former governor of Najaf for illegal arrest, destruction of a government document and misuse of office. The Court’s three Iraqi judges sentenced Abdul Munim to a total of 14 years in prison. The sentence consists of five years for the illegal arrest charge, three years for the destruction of the government document charge and six years for the misuse of office charge. Abdul Munim was arrested on June 26 and charged by an Iraqi investigative judge in Najaf. During the three-day trial, the Court heard evidence that, from April to June of this year, Munim illegally detained three children of a political enemy, tore up a Ministry of Finance document prohibiting him to from withdrawing money from government accounts and illegally retained money belonging to a man who had been released from detention. A total of six witnesses testified before the Court during the trial, in which Munim was represented by the two Iraqi lawyers he hired. Munim has the right to appeal his conviction to Iraq ’s Court of Cassation.