The High Court has nullified a ruling on a former judge who was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment and 120 whip lashes for various crimes and asked for his retrial before the Criminal Court, local daily Al-Madina reported on Sunday.

"No one is above the law", the High court said asking the Criminal Court to accord him a harsher sentence.

The former judge in the General Court in Makkah was not identified but the High Court described him as corrupt and said he had committed a number of crimes including accepting bribes, exploiting his position, issuing incorrect deeds, committing adultery and others.

The Court of Appeals in Makkah had upheld the sentence on the judge issued by the Criminal Court but the High Court rejected the sentence and asked for his retrial to receive a harsher sentence.

It said the sentence was not commensurate with the crimes the judge had committed and sent back the case to the Criminal Court with clear instructions to accord him a harsher sentence so as to be an example for the other judges not to dare follow his suit.

The former judge was also accused of persuading married women to divorce their husbands so as to tie the knot with them.

SOURCE : SAUDIGAZETTE