JEDDAH — A leading official at the Directorate of Water and Sanitary Drainage in Makkah region went on trial at the Administrative Court in Jeddah accused of accepting bribes in exchange for illegally expediting paperwork for companies that had projects pending with the department. The case was transferred from the Control and Investigation Board (CIB) in Makkah. The charge sheet issued in December 2010 included asking for and receiving cash amounts, five gold ingots, a mobile phone, watches, SR280,000 in cash and a bag full of perfumes and gold jewelry as bribes. In return, the official expedited transactions for several companies and establishments that had projects pending with the directorate. The judge adjourned the case until Sept. 30. The transactions for which the official is being charged relate to the construction of rest rooms in Arafat and a water project in Uranah valley. Six other people were charged in connection with the case, including two expatriates and the owners of four establishments that had contracts with the directorate. The defendant presented a nine-page memo through his lawyer in reply to the charge sheet, which was read out by the prosecution and presented to him by the judge. The second defendant, one of the expatriates, was accused of mediating with the other parties in exchange for a mobile telephone and watch from one of the companies that he then allegedly presented to the first defendant. His lawyer presented a two-page memo including his reply to the charges. The judge dismissed a request by the third defendant, the other expatriate, for more time to reply to the charges. The judge issued directives to the police to summon the fourth defendant, who did not attend the session, for the next court hearing. The lawyer of the fifth defendant, a businessman carrying out projects for the directorate, apologized for his client's absence due to illness. He presented the court with a medical report on his client's condition. The judge reiterated that it was important the defendant attend the court sessions as they were related to a penal case. The lawyer said he would inform his client to attend the sessions after presenting a one-page memo as a reply to the charge sheet. The sixth defendant, a businessman, presented a memo in reply to the charges. The seventh defendant, another businessman, asked the court to request the CIB to summon a witness mentioned in the charge sheet. He presented a memo as a reply.
