Abdulrahman Al-Ali Saudi Gazette JEDDAH – The head of the Penal Circuit in the Administrative Court has sentenced a leading official in the Jeddah Mayoralty and several businessmen, one of whom is a former chairman of a sports club, to a collective 17 years imprisonment and total fines of SR2 million. They were accused of bribery and abuse of power. The Jeddah Mayoralty official, who was suspended from work facing the accusation of accepting bribery and engaging in trade violating a government contract that bars employees from engaging in trade, was fined SR1 million and imprisoned for seven years to be counted from the day he was taken into custody. A well-known businessman, who was also a former chairman of a sports club, was accused of several counts of offering bribes. He was fined SR200,000 and sentenced to three years in prison to be counted from the date he was taken into custody. Another well-known businessman was also accused of giving bribes. He was fined SR500,000 and sentenced to four years in prison. An Arab national was accused of involvement in a bribery case. He was fined SR100,00 and sentenced to one year in prison. Another Arab national was accused of bribery. He was fined SR200,000 and sentenced to two years in jail. Three defendants were not accused of bribery. The Prosecutor General and defendants expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict. However, those acquitted expressed satisfaction.
