On Tuesday, the Criminal Court of Appeal in Makkah issued a new ruling in the case of the collapse of the “Haram crane”, which killed dozens of people in 2015 during the Hajj season in Saudi Arabia.
And she said Okaz newspaper The court ruled to convict Bin Laden Company of negligence and violation of safety rules, and fined it 20 million riyals (5.3 million dollars), and did not convict it of blood money.
The verdict ruled that three defendants be imprisoned for six months and a fine of 30,000 riyals, and 4 others were imprisoned for three months and a fine of 15,000 riyals, after they were found guilty of negligence and violating safety rules.
The Saudi newspaper, quoting informed sources, said that “the rulings are considered final unless a request for cassation is submitted to the Supreme Court in accordance with the regular procedures.”
It is worth noting that on September 11, 2015, a crane collapsed in the Grand Mosque in Mecca during the Hajj season due to strong winds and heavy rains, killing 110 people and injuring 209 others, leaving “material damage” to the Grand Mosque building.
At the time, the Saudi authorities imposed severe penalties against the Saudi Bin Laden Group, which was undertaking the work of developing and expanding the Grand Mosque in Mecca, with the aim of accommodating the increasing numbers of pilgrims and Umrah performers.
The penalties included preventing her from participating in any tenders for government projects.
After investigations that lasted 8 months, the case was referred to the Criminal Court in Makkah, and charges of negligence were brought against a number of defendants, before the court acquitted 13 defendants in the case.
In July 2022, the Supreme Court ordered “a reconsideration of the case and the overturning of previous verdicts that acquitted 13 defendants, including the Bin Laden Group,” according to Okaz newspaper.
