Riyadh: Saudi Arabia’s Supreme Court has upheld the verdict of the Makkah Criminal Court of Appeal issued in February this year to slap fines amounting to SR20 million on Saudi Binladin Group after conviction of its negligence and violation of safety rules in the Makkah Grand Mosque crane crash case.
The court also convicted eight directors, heads of departments, executives, and engineers with awarding three years in prison and fines, local Arabic and English dailies Okaz and Saudi Gazette reported Tuesday.
The court however acquitted three engineers and supervisors of the charges, and suspended the trial of another defendant following his death.
The court also recommended that some entities to be placed under criminal liability due to their dereliction of duty.
The Saudi Supreme Court closed the case permanently, while affirming that the ruling acquired the final status by rejecting the cassation request, and appending the ruling in the executive form, with the phrase “this ruling is final and binding.”
The Supreme Court’s final verdict came nearly eight years after the Haram crane accident, which claimed the lives of 110 people and injured of another 209 when a crane involved in the Haram expansion project crashed in the eastern courtyard of the Grand Mosque at 6:05 pm on Friday September 11, 2015.
The crash also caused material damage to the Grand Mosque structure. The reason of the crash was initially attributed to downward winds with a speed of 80 km per hour.
The Public Prosecution framed the Binladin Group of charges of negligence, dereliction of duty, and the failure of safety officials and project managers to take the necessary precautions and caution in following up the weather conditions in accordance with the stages of alerts issued by the General Presidency of Meteorology and Environmental Protection.
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