Saudi Arabia to continue fighting corruption

Investigations into corruption in Saudi Arabia will not stop until fraud is brought to an end in the Kingdom, the country’s Public Prosecutor Saud Bin Abdullah Al-Muajab said yesterday.

The public prosecutor has opened offices throughout the country in an effort to thwart corruption, a statement by Al-Muajab said.

On 4 November 2017 more than 200 Saudis, including 11 princes, four ministers and scores of businessmen were held on corruption charges.

An Anti-Corruption Committee has since been set-up and is being headed by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman who is heading the “anti-corruption” drive in the country. Some 381 Saudis have been summoned by the public prosecutor since the purge began.

Saudi’s wealthiest men were held for months at the five star Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh where they were reportedly tortured until they agreed to hand over up to 70 per cent of their wealth to the state. Bin Salman has since admitted that the state has earned $100 billion as a result of the purge.

Read: The Saudi purge looks like an own goal by Mohammad Bin Salman