Article 148 of the Saudi Commercial Court Law
المادة 148 من النظام التجاري نظام المحكمة التجارية · الفصل الحادي عشر: في العقوبات
This article punishes carriers by land or sea and sales and custody agents, if their trickery or betrayal of trust in destroying or losing entrusted goods is proven, with imprisonment from one month to six months in addition to liability for the goods.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا ثبتت أية حيلة أو خيانة من أحد أمناء النقل برا أو بحرا أو أحد أمناء البيع أو أمناء الحفظ في إتلاف أو إضاعة البضائع المؤتمنة فضلا عن الضمان يعاقب بالحبس من شهر إلى ستة أشهر.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 148 explained in plain English
This article punishes breach of trust concerning goods.
Whom it covers:
- Carriers, by land or sea.
- Sales agents.
- Custodians.
The act: trickery or betrayal of trust in destroying or losing the entrusted goods.
The condition: that the trickery or betrayal of trust is proven.
The consequence:
- Liability, meaning compensating the value of the goods.
- In addition, imprisonment from one month to six months.
The important phrase in the text is “in addition to liability”: the punishment does not replace compensation, but is added to it. A trustee who uses trickery or betrays the trust is liable for the goods and is also imprisoned.
Note that the text requires trickery or betrayal of trust, so this article does not punish someone in whose hands the goods were damaged without trickery or betrayal on his part.
Before it, Article 147 punishes a merchant who violates the requirement of Article 5. Article 149 follows, punishing tricks that lead to usury.
If your goods were lost or damaged with a carrier or warehouse and you suspect betrayal of trust, consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal and commercial cases.
Practical example
A merchant in Dammam handed a shipment of electronics to a land carrier, and the carrier sold part of it for his own account and claimed it was lost. If his betrayal of trust is proven, he is liable for the goods and is also punished, under this article, with imprisonment from one month to six months.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 148 of the Saudi Commercial Court Law
What is the penalty for a carrier who betrays the trust?
If his trickery or betrayal of trust in destroying or losing entrusted goods is proven, he is punished with imprisonment from one month to six months in addition to liability for the goods.
Does the punishment replace compensation?
No. The text makes the imprisonment in addition to liability for the goods.
More articles on Commercial Penalties
- Article 5
The article requires every merchant to deal with integrity and honor, without fraud, deceit or swindling, or he deserves the penalty under the penalties in the law.
يجب على كل تاجر أن يسلك في كل أعماله التجارية بدين وشرف، فلا يرتكب غشا ولا تدليسا ولا احتيالا ولا غبنا ولا غررا ولا نكثا ولا شيئا مما يخالف الدين والشرف بوجه من
- Article 41
The article makes every money changer responsible for his work, books and employees, regulates the exchange of coins at the Finance request, and assigns the application of the money changer provisions to municipal councils where there is no Commercial Court.
كل صراف مسئول عن أعماله وانتظام دفاتره وأعمال الأشخاص المستخدمين عنده مما تترتب فيها عقوبة بمقتضى فصل العقوبات : أ- يجب على الطرفين أن يقوموا بكل أمر حكومي إذا
- Article 63
The article prohibits putting dates in transfers ahead of their true date, and treats that as forgery if it occurs.
تقديم التواريخ في التحاويل عن تاريخها الحقيقي ممنوع وإن حصل يعد ذلك تزويرا .
- Article 138
The article punishes a merchant who reneges on a valid sale after giving the release order, even in collusion with the warehouse keeper, by requiring delivery and imprisonment of one to three months.
كل تاجر باع شيئا من أمواله وأموال موكله التي هي تحت تصرفه بيعا صحيحا ثم أعطى للمشتري سند الفسح ( الستمى ) باستلامه من المخزن ثم نكث عن بيعه وعارض في تسليم المبي
- Article 139
The article punishes a merchant who tricks a discerning minor, exploiting his need, into giving a document, by imprisonment of three months to a year or a fine of fifty to one hundred pounds.
كل من أساء الاستعمال من التجار في احتياجات صبي مميز بأن احتال عليه لأخذ وثيقة منه على أي صورة كانت سواء تضمنت استقراض دراهم واستعارة أشياء أو إعطاء أوراق أو إبر
- Article 140
The article punishes anyone who changes words or inserts phrases in a signed or sealed bond or a commercial book through embezzlement and forgery by imprisonment of three months to a year or a fine.
من أساء الاستعمال في سند أو ورقة فيها ختم أو إمضاء أو في دفتر تجاري بتبديل كلمات أو إدخال عبارات تقضى تعهد أو إبراء على وجه الاختلاس والتزوير يعاقب بالحبس من ثل
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.