MAKKAH: A businessman, who was recently sentenced to four months in jail and 120 lashes for allegedly organizing a musical function that allowed mingling of men and women, has accused the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice of bringing false charges against him.
In his appeal to the Court of Cassation the convicted owner of an amusement park in Makkah said that he committed none of the crimes mentioned in the commission’s accusations or the lower court’s verdict.
He said that he played some religiously-permitted songs in the park late in the night. According to him, at 2:30 a.m., a member of the commission with some other people broke into his office, tore away his clothes and physically assaulted him. He also pointed out that the lower court recorded a witness’ statement that confirmed what he said. The man also denied the commission’s charges that a singer was singing and that his musical instruments were seized, Al-Madinah daily reported yesterday.
