The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the UK has brought charges against the driver/security guard for Pakistan Muslim League-Noon (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif for allegedly assaulting a woman by spitting on her last year in London.
According to reports, the CPS has charged Farid Nemouchi with ‘common assault’ following a complaint made by Panzani Cheema, a Brunei national residing in London.
The incident occurred last year in September when Cheema approached Nawaz Sharif, who was sitting in his car with his guard and began filming and questioning as Nemouchi was preparing to drive Nawaz Sharif home from his son Hasan Nawaz’s office. Panzani Cheema knocked on the car window and greeted Nawaz Sharif before calling him a ‘very corrupt politician.’ In response, Nemouchi spat on Cheema’s face, rolled up the window, and drove away. The video captured on Cheema’s phone went viral on social media. Here is the video:
Appearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, Nemouchi, accompanied by his lawyer Moeen Khan, enter
ed a plea of not guilty, indicating his intent to contest the charges of spitting on Cheema, who was not present in court.
During the hearing, the prosecutor highlighted the distress and trauma caused to Cheema by the alleged spitting incident. The judge granted Nemouchi bail without any conditions attached, scheduling the trial for a later date in June or July.
Nemouchi, originally from Algeria, is a skilled martial arts practitioner who provided security for Nawaz Sharif during his exile in London. His lawyer, Moeen Khan, emphasized his client’s innocence and stressed the circumstances surrounding the incident, citing the ongoing threats to Nawaz Sharif’s safety reported to the Metropolitan Police.
‘We will seek to demonstrate that our client did not violate any laws. Considering the circumstances at the time of the incident, Farid was protecting a high-profile individual facing live threats,’ stated Moeen Khan. ‘Farid Nemouchi is an accomplished professional in his field, and he is entitled to the presu
mption of innocence until proven guilty, as per UK law.’
Source: Pro Pakistani