Supreme Court upholds conviction for assaulting on-duty official

MUSCAT: The Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of an Omani man who seriously injured a public official in an assault while the official was on duty, the Public Prosecution said. The man was fined RO 300 and ordered to serve one year of a three-year prison sentence, with the remaining two years suspended.

The Criminal Circuit of the Muscat Court of First Instance convicted Ammar bin Hilal bin Said bin Ali of assaulting a public official affiliated with the security and military authorities. It sentenced him to three years in prison, imposed the fine and ordered the judgment to be published.

On December 10, 2025, the Muscat Court of Appeal upheld the judgment but ordered that the defendant serve one year in prison, suspending the remainder of the sentence. It also ordered him to pay legal costs. The Supreme Court upheld the judgment on October 13, 2026.

The Public Prosecution said its investigation found that the defendant had physically assaulted the official while he was carrying out his duties, causing serious injuries. It referred the case to court after completing the investigation.

The prosecution said the law requires the public to respect security and military personnel carrying out their official duties. It added that assaults on such personnel hinder their work in maintaining public order and protecting the community.