Saudi detains 300 officials in ‘corruption probe’

Saudi authorities have detained 298 government employees, including military officers, and will indict them on crimes, according to anti-corruption body Nazaha.

According to an announcement published yesterday, the investigators will bring charges against those currently held in custody.

Nazaha tweeted that it had arrested and would indict 298 people on crimes such as bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power involving a total of 379 million riyals ($101 million).

Last week, two senior princes, Prince Ahmed Bin Abdulaziz, King Salman’s brother, and Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef, the former crown prince and interior minister, were detained in a corruption probe.

Both were considered potential rivals to Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and their arrests were seen as an effort to send a message to other members of the royal family that any signal of disloyalty towards Bin Salman would not be tolerated.

Reuters: King Salman approved arrest of senior royals