Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption authority initiates several criminal cases

Saudi Arabia’s anti-corruption authority initiates several criminal cases
March 22, 2021, 11:11 am

Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha). (Supplied)

Saudi Arabia’s Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) on Sunday announced it was initiating a number of criminal cases and legal procedures against corrupt individuals in the Kingdom.

Two municipal employees and one bank employee were arrested for allegedly embezzling more than $1.3 million (5 million riyals) and rewarding a $15.9 million (60 million riyals) project to a company, according to Nazaha.

Three university employees were also arrested for receiving more than $1.1 million (4.4 million riyals) in return for awarding several contracts totaling more than $3.6 million (13.84 million riyals).

A bank branch manager and a businessman involved in the case were also arrested. All five are accused of laundering the money, Nazaha said.

https://twitter.com/nazaha_en/status/1373719308065505283

In the third case, a former university employee is accused of receiving $63,984 (240,000 riyals) from a businessman in exchange for overlooking a number of violations made with the complicity of a resident engineer. All three men were arrested.

In cooperation with the General Authority of Civil Aviation, a former employee in the Contracts and Procurement Department at one of the international airports, and a businessman were both arrested, Nazaha said in a statement.

The former employee had allowed the businessman, who was his relative, to obtain 218 direct purchase orders in an unlawful way.

In the fifth case, a former employee of the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (Modon) allegedly received $60,185 (225,750 riyals) from a businessman in exchange for a statement on his company’s competency, which later led to his company being awarded projects from the authority, according to Nazaha.

They were both arrested.

In the sixth case, an employee from Saudi Customs was accused of receiving $153,109 (574,300 riyals) from a customs broker in exchange for clearing containers with tobacco stored, and using bank accounts of his relatives.

Four non-commission officers working at the General Department of Traffic in one of the regions were arrested for pulling over a resident and allowing their colleague (a retired non-commissioned officer) to search his vehicle and steal $53,320 (200,000 riyals) from his car, Nazaha said.

A retired non-commissioned officer from a police department was also arrested for allegedly receiving $58,585 (219,750 riyals) and blocks of gold, while working as a warehouse keeper and then laundering them by purchasing and selling cars through a dealership that belongs to his relative.

A citizen arrested for possessing narcotics is also being accused of bribing an arrest squad of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control with $53,320 (200,000 riyals) during his arrest.

In the last case, the arrests of a colonel and a non-commissioned officer from the General Directorate of Passports in one of the regions were made for allegedly registering the former’s relative a fake entry into the Kingdom, upon his request.

Nazaha said it will continue “to pursue anyone who exploits the public office to achieve personal gain or harm the public interest in any way possible, and that the accountability extends far beyond the retirement of any individual.”

https://twitter.com/nazaha_en/status/1373719350763470853