List of 10 most common crimes in Oman in 2021: Public Prosecution

Muscat (ONA): The Public Prosecution Department stated that the number of cases reported in 2021 stood at 28,201, constituting an increase of 18.3% over 2020.

Speaking at a press conference held at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre today, Attorney General Nasr Khamis Al Sawa’ee said that the public prosecution department is currently coordinating with the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NSCI) and other authorities to figure out the cause of the rise in criminal cases in 2021, but he affirmed that “the criminal curve does not constitute a danger in itself”.

The press conference reviewed important issues, statistics, judicial discretions and the number suspects and verdicts in 2021.

Al Sawa’s added that the public prosecution department applied mitigated procedures when gathering data and conducting interrogations prior to trail. The procedures undertaken included non-application of pretrial arrest or confiscation of documents, he said, noting that this led to quick clearance of claims.

In reply to a question by Oman News agency about whether rumors spread in social media had any role in the emergency of behavior trends alien to omani society, Al Sawa’ee affirmed the correlation between such rumors and negative behavior. He said that it is the duty of mainstream media to address this issue.

Al Sawa’ee pointed out that, through coordination with the State’s Financial and Administrative Audit Institution (SAI), a total of 107 cases of tampering with public funds were reported in 2021, These include 33 case of mishandling of public funds by a government official to draw personal  benefit, 26 cases of misuse of profession, 120 caesura of brining benefit to other parties and 9 cases of failure to perform one’s duties deliberately.

Al Sawa’ee said that he looked forward to online investigation and litigation and that the public prosecution department floated a tender for this purpose in 2021.

Dr. Ahmed Al Shukaili, Assistant Attorney General and Official Spokesman of the Public Prosecution Department, said that the total number of verdicts issues in 2021 stood at 10,350 partial verdicts, less by 3.3% or 349 verdicts in 2020.

He also pointed out the crime of presenting dishonored cheques (without sufficient funds) top the list of 10 most common crimes in 2021 and they constituted 7,143 cases, followed by crimes of information technology and digital transactions 2,864, violation of expat residency 2,858, the use of drugs and psychotropic substances 2,749, violation of human liberty and human dignity 2,340, violation of the labour law 2,166, violation of the traffic law 2,034, violation of the consumer protection law 2,002, theft 1,918 and blackmail 1,685.