Iraq to question trade minister over corruption

The Iraqi Parliament yesterday decided to question Salman Al-Jumaili, acting minister of trade, on suspicion of financial corruption.

A parliamentary source who asked not to be named said: “Parliament Speaker, Salim Al-Jubouri has informed the members of the Council in today’s meeting that 3 August was set to question Al-Jumaili.”

The source added: “Al-Jumaili will be questioned over several files, most of them related to financial corruption including the import of food for the ration card and the mismanagement of distribution of these materials to the provinces.”

He added that “members of the Integrity Committee have followed over the past period many files of corruption in the Ministry of Trade related to the import of poor quality food.”

The Iraqi government provides monthly rations of basic food commodities to low-income people through ration cards.