Saudi officials detained on corruption charges

Saudi authorities announced on Monday the arrest of Saudi citizens including a member of the Shura Council, a former judge, a notary, and a number of retired officers, as a result of their alleged involvement in several corruption cases.

The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted an official in the Control and Anti-Corruption Authority as saying that “the authority has lately initiated (218) criminal cases.”

The body said that the most prominent case dealt with was “the arrest of a businessman in the eastern region and ten citizens, including a current member of the Shura Council, a former judge, a notary, a former bank employee, as well as a former police district chief, a former airport customs officer and a number of retired officers, who have not been detained for health reasons. The suspects were detained for paying and receiving monetary and in-kind bribes during their work, the value of which exceeds 20 million riyals [$5 million].”

It added that the director of Saudi port and a number of employees, including the director of public relations and head of the projects department, and two other staff members of the maintenance department, were arrested for exploiting their positions for personal gain, illicit financial benefits and money laundering by making deals via commercial entities, whose owners were also detained.

READ: Bin Salman ordered hit squad to kill former official, claims lawsuit