Kuwait arrests two officials in human trafficking case against MP Shahid   

Kuwaiti prosecutor ordered the arrest of two Kuwaitis, the first is an in-charge in one of Kuwait's ministries and the second is a civil servant in the Ministry of Interior pending an investigation into the case of the Bangladeshi MP accused of human trafficking after an investigation that lasted for more than 9 hours, Arab Times reported on Thursday.
During interrogation by Kuwait's prosecution, Kazi Papul, an independent MP from Laxmipur-1 constituency, confessed to bribing millions of dinars to Kuwaiti officials for getting job contracts for the company (using their companies to bring in labour) - Marafie Kuwaitia Group -- that he jointly owns with a Kuwaiti.
Anas Al-Saleh, also Kuwait's deputy prime minister and minister of state for cabinet affairs, made the statement during the parliament's discussion on Wednesday over a letter from MP Abdulwahab Al-Babtain regarding the assignment of      the Interior Minister to prepare a report on human trafficking and the ministry's mechanism to combat this phenomenon.
However, Kazi Papul denied all charges that have been filed against him, except for "involvement in bribe." He has admitted to offering gifts and assisting his friends in what he called "several agencies" and they in turn helped him complete the company's transactions, Arab Times says.
Bangladesh Embassy in Kuwait said it is yet to receive any response from the Kuwait's foreign ministry that was written a letter after the MP's arrest.
Meanwhile, the prosecution charged them with receiving a bribe in exchange for services which they were performing from their work place. The first defendant, the in-charge in one of the ministries was issued number of cheques with huge sums from the company from which the Bangladeshi MP works as a manager to a sister company.
Kazi Papul obtained 34 government contracts and is employing 9,000 workers through cleaning tenders, Kuwait Times reported.
He is accused of recruiting thousands of foreign workers, mostly Bangladeshis, and charging huge sums of money and of paying low salaries and deducting salaries.
The prosecution charged the Kuwaiti official for accepting bribes for breaching his duties but the accused denied the bribery charge and confirmed that these sums offered are in fact financial sums paid towards services rendered by his sister company for the benefit of the company in which the Bangladeshi MP works. The cheques received were based on joint contracts between the Bangladeshi MPs company and his sister company for distribution to number of sister companies to some cleaning complexes which have an official contract and do not violate labour.
The second defendant denied the charges against him that he had completed transactions for the Bangladeshi MP through his relations with an officer in the Ministry of Interior along with some other officers.
He confirmed that his relationship with the Bangladeshi MP and the amounts received was to establish a company and he did not complete any transaction through an officer in the Ministry of Interior, it reports.
"Combatting human trafficking is one of the top priorities of Kuwait, said its Interior Minister Anas Al-Saleh, terming the country's security a "red line," Kuwait Times says.
However, the comment comes after arrest of Bangladeshi MP Mohammad Shahid Islam alias Kazi Papul, accused of human trafficking, money laundering, fraudulence in workers' recruitment and bribing.
Papul was arrested by Kuwait's Criminal Investigation Department on June 6. Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission also opened an investigation in February this year on charges that he laundered Tk 1,400 crore. He is also accused of laundering money from Kuwait to the US.
Prosecution has also summoned approximately 20 employees working in the firm that is run by the accused, including the accountant, and listened to their statements regarding the salary payments of the employees. It is believed the accused runs three other companies.
The prosecution is yet to summon people related to the case, whether witnesses or people whose names were mentioned during the investigation, except for the 20 employees, reported the daily.
The source stressed the prosecution's investigations and the statements of the accused did not mention any names other than the three people referred to and who the prosecutor is going to summon to investigate on charges of accepting bribes, it reported.
Regarding the defendant's statements, the source stated that the defendant mentioned during the investigation that he came to Kuwait in 1984 and has always respected the laws of the country.