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

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

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

source: Tamara Abueish

Levant

Air Arabia optimistic about summer travel demand: CEO Russian court upholds decision not to investigate Kremlin critic Navalny’s poisoning

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”