RIYADH — An official source in the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority (Nazaha) said that preliminary rulings were issued in a number of financial and administrative corruption cases, which included six judges, citizens and expatriates and employees of various ministries indulging in corrupt practices. In the first ruling, a judge (former Shoura Council member) was convicted of participating in bribery and was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison and fined SR500,000. Six citizens were convicted as well for participating in bribery. They were sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison and fined SR100,000 each. The second ruling, a judge (Head of the Execution Court in one of the regions) was convicted of misuse of position for personal benefit and gain, and was sentenced to one year in prison. In the third ruling, a retired officer with the rank of Brigadier and two non-commissioned officers from the Ministry of Defense and an employee on the 6th rank who formerly worked in a bureau of military affairs outside the Kingdom were convicted of forgery and using counterfeit documents, misuse of their position for personal gain, and misappropriation of public funds. They were sentenced to one year in prison including fines of SR20,000 each. The fourth ruling convicted a former judge at the General Court in one of the regions for bribery and forgery with the participation of another judge in forging a ruling. He was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison and fined SR110,000. Another judge was convicted in the same court for bribery (accepting mediation of the first accused) and forgery. He was sentenced to two years in prison and fined SR10,000. A female citizen was convicted of using a forged document and was sentenced to one year and 6 months in prison and fined SR10,000. In the fifth ruling, a former head of a municipality on the 12th rank was convicted of misuse of his position, where he transported state owned equipment and machines to be used in his own farm. He was sentenced to 8 months in prison. In the sixth ruling, the director of the Health Affairs in one of the regions was convicted in an appellate ruling of misuse of position for personal gain and was sentenced to 10 months in prison. Another employee of the same Health Affairs Directorate was convicted for misuse of position for personal gain and was sentenced to 6 months in prison. A resident, who works in one of the contracting companies with the Health Affairs, was also convicted for participating in the misuse of position for personal gain and was sentenced to one year and one month in prison. The seventh ruling involved a former judge, who was convicted for misuse of position and was sentenced to 4 years and 4 months in prison. In the eighth ruling, a non-commissioned officer working in the General Administration of Prisons in one of the regions was convicted of bribery and smuggling contraband into prison. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison and fined SR60,000. Two non-commissioned officers working in the same administration were also convicted of bribery and were sentenced to 3 years in prison and fined SR50,000 each. In another ruling, a former ambassador was convicted of misuse of position for personal gain and embezzlement of public funds and was sentenced to 5 years in prison. Also, a former prosecutor was convicted of bribery and was sentenced to 2 years in prison and fined SR50,000. In another ruling, 24 citizens were convicted for bribery and forgery and illegally modifying their health status to immune. They were sentenced to one to two years in prison along with fines ranging from SR10,000 to SR20,000 for each. The authority affirmed on the continuation to pursue anyone who exploits the public office to achieve personal gain or harm public interest in any way, and that criminal proceedings will continue to be taken against them for prosecution in a court of law.
